The Grand Duchess Escape

Join Patreon to read advance chapters https://www.patreon.com/Leila0530

“For the time being, you shall manage the affairs of the household.”

“For the time being, My Lord?”

“It will be too much for Asella to handle just yet. It’s not too late to start after she adapts to this place.”

Ryzen doubted his ears. At first, he thought he’d heard wrong, but he hadn’t.

“I will arrange it as you command.”

He swallowed hard as he managed to answer.

Under Imperial law, a hostess was powerful enough to act on behalf of the head of a household in an emergency, but the House of Benvito was different.

Traditionally, the role of the Grand Duchess was extremely limited, and the Duke’s vassals were responsible for the upkeep of the castle.

However, the Grand Duke was talking as if he was going to give his wife full control of the inner castle. Something that had never happened before in the House of Benvito.

‘What is going through His Excellency’s mind…’

Ryzen’s mind was in a state of confusion.

His lord had married the current Grand Duchess out of sheer necessity. He didn’t even look her in the eye when he brought her in; rather than marry, it was more like he made a purchase.

The years of abuse she’d suffered at the hands of her stepfather were even considered a favorable condition. Calix didn’t want a wife who would dare to challenge his authority or even speak to him. Asella was selected for these reasons, and of course, since she had the appropriate status to be the next grand duchess.

A docile doll to be placed in the seat of the Grand Duchess when the time was right. A woman who would give birth to an heir with a faultless lineage and no flaws– if she had any abilities, she would be just that little bit more useful, that was it.

Yet inexplicable exceptions kept happening here and there. All sorts of speculations raced through Ryzen’s mind in an attempt to explain the discrepancy.

‘Perhaps His Excellency has…’

When his thoughts had almost brought him to the right answer.

“What about the tutor?” 

Calix’s question came out of nowhere.

It had been less than a day since he ordered Ryzen to find a new tutor for Mariel, but Ryzen -the perfect vassal he was- didn’t hesitate to respond to his master’s inquiry.

“I’ve found the right person.”

“Are they trustworthy?”

“A female, of any age, but physically fit and tight-lipped, very skilled, and last but not least, has no ties to the royal family and Philip Chartus. She meets all the requirements.”

A satisfied expression crossed Calix’s face.

“Very well. Who is it?”

“Someone your Excellency knows as well.”

“It must be Margo Romaine.”

It didn’t take him long to come up with the right answer, as there were not many people who could satisfy such a demanding requirement. Seeing Calix’s stern eyes lift, Ryzen nodded and continued.

“I don’t see anyone else meeting the requirements quite as well as Mrs. Romaine. I suppose since it’s near the time of the Academy examinations, finding…”

“There is a high demand for tutors, I know.”

To a certain extent, Calix too, had Margo in mind. She was the top graduate of the Academy’s political science department, and she had even been offered a Professor position in the academy.

‘It’s not a bad idea.’

As Mariel’s tutor, she would inevitably come into contact with Asella, and he didn’t have the slightest intention of allowing just anyone to occupy such an important position.

He preferred to place someone he knew was trustworthy, rather than someone selected in haste. In that regard, Margo was the perfect candidate.

After a brief moment of calculation, Calix opened his mouth.

“I’ll allow it.”

* * *

Somewhere else, The Emperor, Fernandez, was in an extremely bad mood. The main reason behind his sour mood was the report of the messenger from the Grand Duke of Benvito.

“You did not expect the Grand Duke to hand over the antidote so easily, Your Majesty.”

On top of that Duncan’s words did nothing to ease Fernandez’s mood.

This had always been the way with Calix. Nothing was ever completed fully in a timely manner, it always had to be rescheduled or delayed, and in the process, everyone in the palace was left systematically exasperated and genuinely frustrated.

Just then, a bird chirped outside the window, with all jet black feathers and bright red eyes.

“Isn’t that the Grand Duke’s enchanted bird?”

Tap. Tap. 

The bird began to tap eagerly on the glass with his beak- while Fernandez glared at the bird as if he was going to kill it at any moment. Of course, he couldn’t, because the creature wasn’t a living thing to begin with.

“Would you like me to allow it in?”

If they didn’t want it to come in, they could always send them back. But Duncan sensed that Fernandez was unable to ignore the Grand Duke’s message. After all, the Emperor kept a close eye on Calix Benvito’s every move and action.

Sure enough, Fernandez gestured toward him. Duncan allowed the bird inside and then as if on cue, the enchanted bird flew through the window and dropped a loosely curled note on his desk.

There was a hint of urgency and impatience in the Emperor’s hand as he quickly untied the string, unfolded the note, and read it.

In elegant, smooth cursive, he read out the single line.

[Consider this as a gesture of gratitude for your generosity]. 

Just as he finished reading it, the paper ignited, and a small bottle emerged from the remaining ashes. It was half-filled with a liquid that shifted color depending on the angle of view.

‘Oh my God!’ Duncan almost exclaimed aloud.

‘So he’s only sending a half-full bottle of antidote.’

Wasn’t that basically useless? It seemed that the Grand Duke was mocking the Emperor, and now he was even having him dance right in the palm of his hand.

Duncan carefully studied Fernandez’s expression without spouting any words.

Meanwhile, Fernandez’s face was distorted with rage, his vivid gray eyes flared with anger.

“Have you been to Veronica?”

Duncan swallowed dryly and responded calmly.

“The Empress is trying, but it’s a bit tricky to handle the-“

“So you’re telling me there’s still no progress.” Fernandez interrupted.

“My sincere apologies, Your Majesty.”

“A bunch of useless people.” Fernandez gritted his teeth.

It irritated him that after all this humiliation, he was still unable to lift a finger against Calix Benevito!

His body throbbed with anger, with no way to release it. If he doesn’t take it out on someone…

Right then, an idea popped into Fernandez’s head.

“Venting my anger, yeah, I like the sound of that.”

His lips curled up in a twisted, creepy smile on his face.

“At least I can make that bastard Calix suffer this filthy feeling.”

Duncan held out his breath. The sight of the Emperor now was enough to send chills up his spine.

It seemed that since the Emperor couldn’t lay a hand on the Grand Duke, he was thinking of whom he would torment and toy with as a scapegoat instead.

Fernandez ordered in a grim voice.

“First of all, summon Philip Chartus.”