The Villainess Captured The Grand Duke - Chapter 60

Chapter 60

The knight at the forefront shouted with a dying voice, 

“Monsters, monsters…” 

The blood-stained knight couldn’t finish his words on the horse. Although his condition seemed better than the horse Raygrain had revealed earlier, it looked like he could jump at any moment with just a slight touch.

Without hesitation, Erina pulled the deceased knight from the horse. Knights gathered from various places in the royal palace joined in belatedly, including Silcaro. Silcaro, with a sweaty face, rushed to the knight under Erina, expressing condolences. If he calls out the name while expressing grief to the deceased knight, Erina will report it.

“It seems we were attacked by monsters.” 

The golden eyes, mixed with anger, turned towards Scheuer. Soon, the gaze shifted behind her. Erina spoke through clenched teeth, 

“It seems the North has been breached.” 

A decisive moment when avoiding Blenga in the center becomes inevitable. News spread that monsters attacked the center.

***

The rumors were just rumors. It was a story from ancient ancestors, not something suitable for political use, even if it was a temple. People weren’t quick to act based on rumors that originated in the distant past.

However, seeing it with one’s own eyes was different. After the temple announced the proclamation and left the center, knights who had been dispatched to see off those leaving the temple returned after being attacked by monsters. According to the original plan, the knights who were dispatched to see off those leaving the temple were supposed to suffer.

“The temple stayed in the center, and others suffered because of it.” It seemed to be some members of the royal knights responsible for the border region. Raygrain approached the knights whose wounds emitted the stench of blood. Without any warning or treatment, he immediately exposed the injuries of the knights who were gasping for breath and dying. He did so just to confirm what he wanted.

Raygrain approached the supporting knights after handing over the injured and responded as if reporting. 

“This is not the trace of monsters.” 

He didn’t even have a slight feeling of apology. His actions were solely focused on whether the cause of this situation was monsters coming from the North or not. This was enough to make other knights feel betrayed.

Nothing had changed. Although the timing was pushed forward, it was within the expected range, just like the tournament and the temple’s entrance ceremony.

“How can Your Grace be so sure?” 

Silcaro, who was examining the blood-soaked knights one by one, stared at him with eyes filled with frustration. Seeing Silcaro, who always smiled, showing signs of being hurt by the knights’ deaths, even pity was felt.

Raygrain pointed to several knights with his scabbard and said, 

“The wounded areas are clean. If it were monsters, we couldn’t get such clean wounds.”

“Are you sure? Please don’t let me be disappointed in the Duke.”

“I assert it.” 

In the ruins that had changed little, there were only the sounds of the wounded moaning and the excited neighbors of horses on the verge of flying. Some whispered voices were also heard.

“Has anyone here seen monsters?”

“We don’t have anything to see in the center.”

“Libe said it was a monster before he fell….”

“Dead people don’t lie.”

“Since he said it’s not for now….”

Scheuer quietly spoke to Sepik, who was holding a bouquet without knowing what to do.

“Sefic, can you help me with the bouquet?”

“Yes? Oh, sure.”

Since Sefic was called, she could endure it. Originally, the knights who returned alive were supposed to withstand it and none of them survived. Not a single person.

Thus, no one could testify that it was not a monster attack.

However, the demon cried out, and the dead existed. Erina and Silcaro hastily organized a punitive force, but there were no traces to be found in the place where they claimed to have been attacked.

Among those who directly experienced the demon were Raygrain and Jess. And Zelos.

As a result of this incident, Zelos resigned from the position of overall commander of the Knights, and the rumors that had been circulating in secret became confirmed facts.

Guarding the North was Blenga’s duty. Due to this incident, the families of the injured knights all turned their backs on the North. Among them was also the second son of Duke Litton.

“Litton’s son. What did Litton’s son look like?”

Thinking of the second son of the Litton family, whom Lady Anabelel proudly showed off at tea time, her eyes quickly scanned for him.

Whether the attacked target changed or not, fortunately, he was helping another injured person next to Silcaro.

But now things are different. They can change. It might be a good idea to leave a witness.

The high-ranking cleric with excellent healing abilities remains in the palace. It was just a matter of holding on until he arrived.

“After seeing Sevi, I’m worried he’ll come if he calls…”

Scheuer handed chamomile to the knights as she walked around. Even if it’s a small recovery, it’s better than doing nothing.

She alone looked out of place in the motionless military camp. Sefic, following behind, moved cautiously while watching her.

In front of the ominous gaze crying out words, Scheuer hesitated.

“Wow, it’s too big…”

Even if she wanted to raise the flower a little, she couldn’t reach it. Slowly lifting her heels, the horse made a threatening sound as it raised its front legs.

“Your Highness!”

With Sefic’s voice, Scheuer’s foot hung in the air.

“I will help you.”

Jess, with Scheuer on his side, held the reins and restrained the horse’s power. Despite its previous lively movements, the horse quickly calmed down.

As Scheuer glared disapprovingly, the horse quickly became quiet. Finding stability, other horses, which had been breathing heavily, gradually stopped their rough breathing.

Jess looked at the fallen injured on the horse and asked, 

“Shall I pull them down?”

“What if pulling them down causes the wounds to reopen?”

“Then they’ll die.”

“No!”

In response to Scheuer’s shocked exclamation, Jess hesitated for a moment with a bewildered expression.

So, that’s what he ultimately decided.

“Then I will lift you up.”

It was a rather precarious method of carrying her on his waist, almost like announcing the birth of a new king of the jungle, a baby lion.

Ignoring the discomfort in her arms, Scheuer, along with numerous knights, including Erina, stared at her.

“Ah, Divine Official, when will you come…”

As Sefic handed her a bouquet, Scheuer was lifted and lowered repeatedly by Jess.

During this time, no one spoke first. While the injured were barely sustaining themselves with flowers, a white figure appeared in the distance.

Scheuer pointed to that place with flowers.

“The Divine Official is coming! He’s coming!”

With each confident step, the fluttering silver hair couldn’t have been more joyous. Sevi, scanning her from top to bottom, commented,

“Why is she doing that again?”

Well, this was the best Scheuer could do.

Unable to respond, Scheuer sent the most pitiful look in the world to him, signaling the meaning of enduring until he arrived. She shook the flowers she held in her hands, trying to convey that she had worked hard to make flowers bloom until he came.

Of course, he remained unfazed.

For the first time, Sevi spoke seriously.

“Now that I see it, that also looks mentally painful. How many were injured, including that dear girl, Koa?”

After assessing the situation, Koa quietly conveyed, 

“Three dead, twenty-seven injured… and one unharmed young lady.”

“Smile Love”