The Villainess Captured The Grand Duke - Chapter 147

Chapter 147

In an instant, all eyes turned toward Leilda’s black magic stone pouch. With a grim expression, Leilda gripped the pouch tightly, speaking in disbelief.

“This is a lie. It can’t be true.”

At the sound of the stone cracking, Sevi withdrew his divine power, his face contorted in dissatisfaction.

As the cracking sound echoed, Sevi withdrew his magical power, revealing his dissatisfaction with a scowl. 

“Koa, don’t tell me that’s the black magic stone.”

There was no need for anyone to answer the question. Leilda had already pulled out the broken black magic stone and held it in his hand, looking utterly defeated, like someone who had lost their magic tower. He slumped to the ground, muttering.

“This cursed black magic stone… It never reacts when I need it to…”

Since Leilda was someone who never usually complained, Scheuer crouched beside him and patted his back.

“Still, it seems like you’ve found the ‘breakthrough’ you were talking about, right?”

“See that guy’s face again? Can I hit him with a blow from a monster’s hand to start things off?”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. Sevi might not care about much, but he takes pride in his appearance.”

“Ugh!”

Leilda, in agony, ruffled his hair wildly. Throughout this process, Sevi watched with his arms crossed, leaning slightly to the side. He blinked and asked Koa, 

“Do you think he’s going to ask me to compensate for the broken one?

In frustration, Leilda ruffled his hair wildly. Sevi watched the entire scene with folded arms, a smirk on his face. He blinked and asked Koa,

“Koa, do you think he’ll ask me to compensate for the broken black magic stone?”

“If it’s due to your magic, then you have to.”

Koah calmly prepared to bow again as he responded. Sevi, wearing a stern expression, spoke Solemnly.

“I am the High Priest.”

“I know.”

“Therefore, I cannot be held responsible.”

“That’s just an excuse.”

“How dare you blame the temple for black magic!” 

Sevi even raised his voice, but Koah remained unfazed. Ignoring Sevi, Koah approached Leilda, bowing respectfully as he spoke.

“It seems our High Priest made a mistake. The temple will compensate you, so please don’t worry.”

Leilda, still focused on trying to piece together the broken stone, was too lost in his attempt to escape reality to hear the apology.

Scheuer, taking Leilda’s silence as a cue, replied on his behalf.

Glancing sideways at Sevi, Scheuer noticed him watching them with a perplexed expression. Sevi irritably replied, 

“Fine! Just tell me how much! How much will it take to settle this?”

At that moment, Leilda, sitting on the ground clutching the shattered Black magic stone, lifted his head with a chilling expression. In the dark night, his violet hair and pale skin were striking, making him look quite intimidating as he glared with his piercing eyes.

Even Scheuer, who knew him well, flinched slightly at the sight.

Then, Leilda’s lips curled into a long, sinister smile.

“Money? No.”

With a wicked grin, he looked Sevi straight in the eye and declared firmly,

“Repay me with labor.”

***

The morning at Blenga was unusually quiet after a long time. The peace that had settled in, following the daily noisy disputes since Sevi’s arrival, instead stirred a sense of unease among everyone. Solle, who had briefly seen Scheuer in the morning, felt the same apprehension.

“Scheuer, is everything really okay?” 

she asked, fidgeting nervously. She worried it might be her fault for mistakenly thinking of him as a ghost, checking and rechecking her thoughts.

Scheuer smiled reassuringly. 

“It’s really fine. The two of them just had a moment of reconciliation, that’s all.”

“A reconciliation in just one day?” 

Solle seemed skeptical, given how loudly they had fought before.

After some thought, Scheuer chose his words carefully. 

“Well, maybe a truce…? You don’t need to worry, Lady Solle. Priest Sevi is someone who usually operates at night anyway.”

With the existence of the black gemstone currently kept a secret, he had to speak in vague terms. While he didn’t doubt Solle’s trustworthiness, he was wary of how information could spread.

Nodding at Scheuer’s firm words, Solle replied, 

“I just hope I’m not causing any discomfort for His Highness. It was already hard to see him yesterday…”

“Ah, that’s because he spent the entire day with the other Duke’s!”

Realizing she had forgotten this, Solle sighed in relief. 

“That’s true, with all the guests, the two of you barely had any time together. I should have been more considerate.”

She apologized, smiling warmly, then left to meet Lady Betty. As Scheuer waved goodbye, a deep voice came from behind her.

“The morning was spent at the training grounds.”

Turning around, she saw Raygrain watching her from a distance. Smiling brightly, she rushed toward him as usual, but this time, the result was different. Instead of simply standing there, Raygrain opened his arms and, for some reason, lifted her up.

Scheuer, always used to looking up at him, now found herself in a higher position, looking down. Startled, she blinked wide-eyed as Raygrain carried her casually, continuing the conversation as if nothing had happened.

“The schedule has changed, but it seems you’re unaware.”

He spoke calmly, walking toward his office with Scheuer still in his arms.

Even though they hadn’t seen each other for just one day, the constant greetings from here and there caused a slight delay in time.

Since no one had informed her, Scheuer was enveloped in a strange sense of defeat.
“I can’t believe I got the Duke’s schedule wrong. This is impossible!”

With a faintly worried expression, she asked him,

“You’re going to the training grounds even though the wedding is soon?”

“The mercenaries from the central region requested to use the training ground,” he replied.

“Oh, I’m sorry. They’ve never seen a training area like this…”

“It doesn’t matter. It’s just a place for leisure right now,” he said casually. 

Most knights had gone out to welcome guests from the north, leaving only a few at the mansion. As a result, the training ground had turned into a spectator spot for guests to watch the knights train.

As she nestled in his arms, walking down the corridor, Scheuer noticed the attendants hesitating to greet them.

“Your Grace, good morning,” one of them said, bowing before quickly retreating.

Raegrein merely nodded in response. It would have been fine if it were just the attendants, but then came the guests.

“Scheuer, good m—” 

A guest started to greet them but abruptly turned around and retreated instead.

Seeing this unfold was utterly embarrassing for Scheuer. She mumbled quietly, “Duke, can’t I walk on my own?”

“Why is that?”

“Everyone seems to be avoiding us for some reason.”

“Then it doesn’t matter. That’s how I intended it,” he replied.

Scheuer blinked in disbelief at his words. Raegrein adjusted his hold on her and added, 

“There are so many people you encounter on your way to me. This should lessen the number of encounters.”

“Did you… see them?” 

If he had been around, it was impossible for Scheuer not to notice him.

“Wherever you are, you stand out,” he said, his gaze fixed ahead as they walked.

Scheuer gently cupped his face with her hands, trying to catch his attention. His azure eyes met hers, looking as if he found her question amusing. 

“I just wanted to see you a little longer since you were on your way to me.”

Before she could respond, Raegrein’s expression shifted slightly, as if he found something uncomfortable. 

“I didn’t expect it to take this long, though.”

“Everyone seemed worried since they hadn’t seen you for a day,” she explained.

“It’s just one day.”

“Just one day can feel long! If I didn’t see you for a day, I’d worry too!” she retorted, her tone serious.

Just then, arriving at the office, Raygrane stopped walking. The nearby attendants, unsure whether to greet them or not, parted like waves at both ends of the hallway. One of them took a step forward to open the office door, but Raygrane raised his hand to stop them.

With one arm holding Scheuer, he opened the door himself. As the door swung open, he lifted his head and gently kissed her cheek, saying,

“You’re not the only one who’s different.”

Scheuer held the cheek where his lips had brushed, unable to speak. As the office door closed behind them and they entered, Raygrain stopped walking. Facing the door, a familiar voice came from behind her.

“What’s this? Are you going? Leaving?”

Scheuer turned her head to see Leilda, whose hair was now neatly cut short, watching them. On the opposite side, sitting with his head bowed was Koa, possibly sent to replace Sevi.

Scheuer, with wide eyes, asked,

“Leilda, your hair…!”

“I didn’t want to have the same style as that guy.”

With a dismissive snort, Leilda arrogantly rested his arms on the back of the sofa.

Feci quod potui faciant meliora potentes