Kyle was forced into a chair with his wrists bound and his feet shackled. Despite his bruised face, tattered prison uniform, and unspeakably shabby and haggard appearance, he was upright and straight, without a single jolt of disarray.
Grand Duke Winston gnashed his teeth internally. He was terribly resentful of the Duke, who, even in such a miserable state, still retained his nobility and dignity.
But the more that happens, the greater the pleasure of seeing him fall apart properly later. He will definitely see Kyle fall. A complete destruction that will even destroy his spirit.
But on the other hand, he also felt regret. He thought about how much better it would be if someone like this were truly on his side, and he was envious of his late brother, Rainier.
A weak and incompetent man who sat on the throne as the eldest son. In the end, he died miserably due to his own schemes, so he was the winner. If Rainier had had an Empress and an heir, they would have gone to hell too, but fortunately or unfortunately, the Empress he had married through political means died a few years ago and he had no children.
“Sir. I am once again amazed. You are truly amazing. Not only your inner strength but also your beautiful face and dignity that remain undamaged no matter how much you are damaged.”
Winston smiled bitterly, hiding his regret.
“If the national treasury runs out, we’ll have to make you prostitute yourselves. I guarantee that people of all ages and genders will line up every day, haha.”
“It’s a shame. You’re saying that to me in such a way, despite your ill will.”
“My women will be shocked if they hear this. Who dares to call someone a homosexual?”
“Didn’t Your Highness just say that it applies to everyone, regardless of age or gender?”
“You cheeky brat. The torture must have been weak. You still have the nerve to wag your tongue so arrogantly. What if I decide to put you in the Scavenger’s Daughter or the Iron Maiden and squeeze every last drop of blood out of you? I could use a wheeled version.”
“If you made the torture mild, there must be a reason for it.”
Kyle's sharp eyes calmly scanned his wet, glistening gray eyes. His face had become noticeably gaunt and thin over the past three weeks, but his sharp gaze remained the same. There was a moment of silence. Winston turned his head and gestured to the guards. At his unspoken command, the guards all retreated out the door.
Winston glared at Kyle mockingly. His piercing gaze and his characteristic intimidating presence were still there, but now that his limbs were tightly bound, he wasn't afraid of being alone with him. No matter how fearsome the beast, it wouldn't be able to break the iron armor on the chain.
“Your loyal subject, Jerome Hamilton, came to me yesterday and knelt before me, begging me to tell his master one thing.”
Kyle's eyes remained calm. But the next moment, he lifted his gaze without realizing it when he heard the name coming out of Winston's mouth.
“Angie, what did he say... the old government of the Lords is said to be in the Blackwell Estate in Southern Scarborough. It’s called Te Deum, right?”
Kyle's breathing quickened. His hands clenched tightly, his wrists still bound.
“...”
“It seems that the bastard I approved as the temporary head of the household is holding her. Aha, no! Maybe she switched to that bastard of her own will. After you disappear into the morning dew of the execution ground, and I officially become the Emperor and revise the law of the eldest son, that bastard will become the next Duke of Blackwell, so she switched in advance. Hahaha - she's a smart woman, after all. Of course, she would jump off a sinking ship and board a sturdy rescue ship.”
Kyle glared at Winston's laughter with a face as cold as stone. If a look could kill, the Grand Duke's heart would have stopped long ago.
“But what if the opposite were true? There are plenty of governments that keep their chastity. Especially men like you.”
Winston stroked his beard as if he was taking medicine.
“In my opinion, that bastard seemed to harbor a great sense of inferiority and victimization toward his brother. He readily agreed to the offer to assassinate the Emperor and you at the Vintergar Castle, which would lower his status as a Duke. And when he killed the Emperor, he put evidence pointing to you as the culprit in his clothes. So it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. He stole the title that was yours, and he took the woman too.”
“...”
“Well, in any case, it’s none of my business. No matter who his government is or how many women he has, once I’ve approved the temporary acting Duke, whatever kind of love affairs occur within that territory, no matter how big the country is, is outside my jurisdiction.”
Kyle gritted his teeth and took a deep breath. He was in a state of utter shock. He could barely contain himself from the desperation of not giving Winston any room to move, and his blood was rushing back to his head. He barely managed to maintain his composure and tried to figure out Jerome’s true intentions.
If it weren't for Louis Dunst's false testimony, Jerome would have been able to meet with him in the interrogation room the day before he was taken to the Stone Tower three weeks ago. Then Jerome would have told him the news. That means Angie has been held captive at Te Deum for three weeks already.
In an instant, a strong murderous intent surged through him, and his vision became blurred. Kyle was on the verge of losing his mind. The sanity that he had never lost despite any torture was slipping away like an ebb tide. If he could just catch Michael right in front of him, tear him to pieces, and see Angie safe, he felt like he would gladly sell his soul to the devil.
“...Sir? Sir. Hey, Kyle.”
Kyle looked up at the snap of his fingers. Winston was startled by the fierceness in his gaze and froze for a moment. While he cleared his throat, Kyle spoke first.
“Your Highness, what do you wish to do?”
With each word he spoke, a chilling chill seeped out. The cold air of the stone prison grew even more sinister.
“Please tell me what you want.”
“Oh.”
Winston smiled faintly. He just wanted to see the government being taken away and angry, but this was the motivation?
“It looks like you finally feel like having a serious conversation with me.”
Kyle clenched his teeth. Jerome's true intentions finally dawned on him. He had deliberately led that bastard Winston to ask him about Angie. So that Kyle could get out of the Stone Tower and make his move without wasting any more time.
“As you may have guessed, I have been interested in your family for a long time. The Blackwell family has a secretary of some kind, right?”
“...”
“I tried to stab Brother Rainier several times, but he kept his mouth shut. I don’t know about anything else, but he seemed determined not to reveal that one thing. But I do know this one thing.”
The Grand Duke's tone became gloomy. He lowered his voice so much that the guards outside could not hear him no matter how hard they tried.
“It’s a record of the secret of eternal life. It’s related to the black mass that was performed in the Cailum Church long ago. Isn’t it?”
Kyle looked at the Grand Duke without answering, a gaze that could be read as a silent approval.
“I wanted to summon Baron Dervan, the head of the Cailum Church, and question him in detail, but unfortunately he died along with your wife. There was something suspicious about his death, too.”
“That’s what you wanted to know.”
“Of course. And we should reap the benefits as much as possible. Think about it. Everyone is talking about Trieste’s decline, but if the royal family can realize that secret for generations, we will prosper forever. We can reign as the Empire of the Sun and its Emperors forever. If that is really possible. If it is nothing more than a vain superstition like the alchemy of the past or the legendary Holy Grail...”
“The late John Fitzroy Blackwell, Duke of York, lived to be ninety-nine years old. That is, until the fire at Cullinan Island three years ago.”
“Is that true? After all, there was a reason why the island was kept hidden. But if it was burned to death, wasn’t it just a ridiculous superstition?”
“At that time, I was in the process of improving the side effects of the Eternal Myrrh, Eternity. There are other conditions as well. Unfortunately, my constitution does not fit those conditions. However, Michael, that guy might fit.”
Kyle continued his boasting naturally. He could never flatter an incompetent tyrant, but he could still dazzle others with words that their subconscious wanted to hear.
“What are the remaining conditions!”
“Sir. Hey, Kyle. Depending on what you say, I can pardon you right now for insufficient evidence.”
Kyle leaned back. The Grand Duke blinked his eyes cowardly at his arrogant gaze. He was already getting impatient.
“Anyway, all the secrets are in Te Deum. Now it’s like a second Cullinan Island.”
Grand Duke Winston gnashed his teeth internally. He was terribly resentful of the Duke, who, even in such a miserable state, still retained his nobility and dignity.
But the more that happens, the greater the pleasure of seeing him fall apart properly later. He will definitely see Kyle fall. A complete destruction that will even destroy his spirit.
But on the other hand, he also felt regret. He thought about how much better it would be if someone like this were truly on his side, and he was envious of his late brother, Rainier.
A weak and incompetent man who sat on the throne as the eldest son. In the end, he died miserably due to his own schemes, so he was the winner. If Rainier had had an Empress and an heir, they would have gone to hell too, but fortunately or unfortunately, the Empress he had married through political means died a few years ago and he had no children.
“Sir. I am once again amazed. You are truly amazing. Not only your inner strength but also your beautiful face and dignity that remain undamaged no matter how much you are damaged.”
Winston smiled bitterly, hiding his regret.
“If the national treasury runs out, we’ll have to make you prostitute yourselves. I guarantee that people of all ages and genders will line up every day, haha.”
“It’s a shame. You’re saying that to me in such a way, despite your ill will.”
“My women will be shocked if they hear this. Who dares to call someone a homosexual?”
“Didn’t Your Highness just say that it applies to everyone, regardless of age or gender?”
“You cheeky brat. The torture must have been weak. You still have the nerve to wag your tongue so arrogantly. What if I decide to put you in the Scavenger’s Daughter or the Iron Maiden and squeeze every last drop of blood out of you? I could use a wheeled version.”
“If you made the torture mild, there must be a reason for it.”
Kyle's sharp eyes calmly scanned his wet, glistening gray eyes. His face had become noticeably gaunt and thin over the past three weeks, but his sharp gaze remained the same. There was a moment of silence. Winston turned his head and gestured to the guards. At his unspoken command, the guards all retreated out the door.
Winston glared at Kyle mockingly. His piercing gaze and his characteristic intimidating presence were still there, but now that his limbs were tightly bound, he wasn't afraid of being alone with him. No matter how fearsome the beast, it wouldn't be able to break the iron armor on the chain.
“Your loyal subject, Jerome Hamilton, came to me yesterday and knelt before me, begging me to tell his master one thing.”
Kyle's eyes remained calm. But the next moment, he lifted his gaze without realizing it when he heard the name coming out of Winston's mouth.
“Angie, what did he say... the old government of the Lords is said to be in the Blackwell Estate in Southern Scarborough. It’s called Te Deum, right?”
Kyle's breathing quickened. His hands clenched tightly, his wrists still bound.
“It seems to me that the bastard harbors a great deal of inferiority complex and victimization towards you, his foe. He willingly accepted the offer to assassinate you and the Emperor at Vintergar Castle, which would have dethroned him as Duke, and when he killed the Emperor, he wore evidence incriminating you in his clothes. So of course it's a stroke of genius. Take the title that was yours, and take the woman.”
“It seems that the bastard I approved as the temporary head of the household is holding her. Aha, no! Maybe she switched to that bastard of her own will. After you disappear into the morning dew of the execution ground, and I officially become the Emperor and revise the law of the eldest son, that bastard will become the next Duke of Blackwell, so she switched in advance. Hahaha - she's a smart woman, after all. Of course, she would jump off a sinking ship and board a sturdy rescue ship.”
Kyle glared at Winston's laughter with a face as cold as stone. If a look could kill, the Grand Duke's heart would have stopped long ago.
“But what if the opposite were true? There are plenty of governments that keep their chastity. Especially men like you.”
Winston stroked his beard as if he was taking medicine.
“In my opinion, that bastard seemed to harbor a great sense of inferiority and victimization toward his brother. He readily agreed to the offer to assassinate the Emperor and you at the Vintergar Castle, which would lower his status as a Duke. And when he killed the Emperor, he put evidence pointing to you as the culprit in his clothes. So it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. He stole the title that was yours, and he took the woman too.”
“...”
“Well, in any case, it’s none of my business. No matter who his government is or how many women he has, once I’ve approved the temporary acting Duke, whatever kind of love affairs occur within that territory, no matter how big the country is, is outside my jurisdiction.”
Kyle gritted his teeth and took a deep breath. He was in a state of utter shock. He could barely contain himself from the desperation of not giving Winston any room to move, and his blood was rushing back to his head. He barely managed to maintain his composure and tried to figure out Jerome’s true intentions.
If it weren't for Louis Dunst's false testimony, Jerome would have been able to meet with him in the interrogation room the day before he was taken to the Stone Tower three weeks ago. Then Jerome would have told him the news. That means Angie has been held captive at Te Deum for three weeks already.
In an instant, a strong murderous intent surged through him, and his vision became blurred. Kyle was on the verge of losing his mind. The sanity that he had never lost despite any torture was slipping away like an ebb tide. If he could just catch Michael right in front of him, tear him to pieces, and see Angie safe, he felt like he would gladly sell his soul to the devil.
“...Sir? Sir. Hey, Kyle.”
Kyle looked up at the snap of his fingers. Winston was startled by the fierceness in his gaze and froze for a moment. While he cleared his throat, Kyle spoke first.
“Your Highness, what do you wish to do?”
With each word he spoke, a chilling chill seeped out. The cold air of the stone prison grew even more sinister.
“Please tell me what you want.”
“Oh.”
Winston smiled faintly. He just wanted to see the government being taken away and angry, but this was the motivation?
“It looks like you finally feel like having a serious conversation with me.”
Kyle clenched his teeth. Jerome's true intentions finally dawned on him. He had deliberately led that bastard Winston to ask him about Angie. So that Kyle could get out of the Stone Tower and make his move without wasting any more time.
“As you may have guessed, I have been interested in your family for a long time. The Blackwell family has a secretary of some kind, right?”
“...”
“I tried to stab Brother Rainier several times, but he kept his mouth shut. I don’t know about anything else, but he seemed determined not to reveal that one thing. But I do know this one thing.”
The Grand Duke's tone became gloomy. He lowered his voice so much that the guards outside could not hear him no matter how hard they tried.
“It’s a record of the secret of eternal life. It’s related to the black mass that was performed in the Cailum Church long ago. Isn’t it?”
Kyle looked at the Grand Duke without answering, a gaze that could be read as a silent approval.
“I wanted to summon Baron Dervan, the head of the Cailum Church, and question him in detail, but unfortunately he died along with your wife. There was something suspicious about his death, too.”
“That’s what you wanted to know.”
“Of course. And we should reap the benefits as much as possible. Think about it. Everyone is talking about Trieste’s decline, but if the royal family can realize that secret for generations, we will prosper forever. We can reign as the Empire of the Sun and its Emperors forever. If that is really possible. If it is nothing more than a vain superstition like the alchemy of the past or the legendary Holy Grail...”
“The late John Fitzroy Blackwell, Duke of York, lived to be ninety-nine years old. That is, until the fire at Cullinan Island three years ago.”
“Is that true? After all, there was a reason why the island was kept hidden. But if it was burned to death, wasn’t it just a ridiculous superstition?”
“At that time, I was in the process of improving the side effects of the Eternal Myrrh, Eternity. There are other conditions as well. Unfortunately, my constitution does not fit those conditions. However, Michael, that guy might fit.”
Kyle continued his boasting naturally. He could never flatter an incompetent tyrant, but he could still dazzle others with words that their subconscious wanted to hear.
“What are the remaining conditions!”
“That's as far as I'll go, Your Highness.”
Kyle leaned back. The Grand Duke blinked his eyes cowardly at his arrogant gaze. He was already getting impatient.
“Anyway, all the secrets are in Te Deum. Now it’s like a second Cullinan Island.”
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