The Monster Duke Mistook Me for His Wife – Chapter 111

Author: Asternkm

“Looks like we have an eavesdropper.”

Therze’s muscles tensed threateningly.

Ria, still unable to get used to his overwhelming physique, let out an awkward laugh—

Until she noticed a glimpse of golden hair peeking from below.

“A noble figure like yourself… what are you doing here?”

At her question, a large silhouette rose from the bushes.

“I didn’t mean to listen in, but you were speaking a little too clearly.”

Brushing off a small leaf from his hair, the man stepped forward—

The Crown Prince.

****

A warm sun, birds chirping, and a gentle breeze.

And sitting across from each other in the pavilion—Therze and Cassis.

In this picture-perfect scene, the only one who felt completely out of place was me.

“Grandfather, maybe I should just head inside…”

“And what if something happens to you while you’re alone? Stay put.”

With the strength of his grip pulling me back down, I had no choice but to sit back in my seat.

I had been unintentionally dragged into their conversation and now found myself awkwardly rolling my eyes around, unsure of what to do.

“Duke Therze, I know it’s a bit early, but I’ve prepared a gift for you.”

Though his birthday was tomorrow, it seemed Cassis wanted to give it to him in advance.

A servant stepped forward, presenting a box before Therze.

The finely crafted gold box looked undeniably expensive at first glance.

“You must be busy. When did you even find the time to prepare something like this?”

“It’s an important occasion. Even if I had no time, I would have made time.”

At Cassis’s urging, Therze placed a hand on the lid.

Click.

The box opened with a soft sound.

“…This is…”

“A token of gratitude for your support.”

Cassis smiled, clearly pleased with himself, while Therze, for once, was at a loss for words.

What in the world could be so shocking?

Curious, I leaned in for a peek inside.

A dagger?

The blade was wrapped in gold, the sheath painted in a deep crimson, and embedded in the hilt was a vibrant red gemstone.

Though well-maintained, time had clearly left its marks—the paint had chipped in some places, revealing its age.

…Wait, is that light?

A faint glow surrounded the dagger, making me narrow my eyes.

It was so subtle that I couldn’t tell if the dagger itself was glowing or if it was just reflecting the sunlight.

“You seem curious.”

Noticing my gaze, Cassis offered a brief explanation.

“That dagger is practically a relic of Sinaize.”

“A relic of Sinaize? Then why was it in the Imperial Palace?”

Instead of answering my question, Cassis’s words only sent me further down a rabbit hole of confusion.

I must have looked completely lost, because he let out a small sigh as he ran a hand through his hair.

“It’s a long story… but since you’re practically part of Sinaize now, I suppose you should know.”

As if it were obvious, Therze nodded in agreement.

“You’ll be the lady of Sinaize soon enough. Best you learn about it.”

With Therze’s approval, Cassis began his explanation, almost as if telling an old legend.

“Since you’re from the Empire, you must be familiar with the founding myth.”

Of course, I was.

Who wasn’t?

Emperor Lysandro’s founding myth was known by everyone—children, the uneducated, even someone like me, who had been reborn in this world.

“That dagger belonged to the founding emperor, Lysandro.”

“…What?”

Stunned, I barely registered the fact that Therze had extended the dagger toward me, silently urging me to take a closer look.

I swallowed hard.

At first, it had seemed like just any other dagger.

But now, knowing who had wielded it, its presence felt overwhelming.

“W-Why… is it here?”

“Because it originally belonged to the ducal house.”

“Huh?”

I was struggling to keep up.

Lysandro’s dagger was part of Sinaize’s estate?

Unless Lysandro himself had been from Sinaize, that didn’t make sense…

“…Wait. Are you telling me what I think you’re telling me?”

Cassis’s lips curled into a smirk.

“Ria, do you know why Sinaize is called the living history of the Empire?”

The Empire had stood for a thousand years.

Its name had changed, its throne had changed, dynasties had risen and fallen, and yet—

Through all of that, only the Sinaize family had remained.

Why?

Because they were too powerful to be overthrown.

And now I know why.

“To be precise, Sinaize was a branch of Emperor Lysandro’s bloodline.”

Seeing that I was still struggling to process this, Therze patted my back reassuringly.

“They weren’t direct descendants, so don’t get too worked up.”

Direct descendants?

That wasn’t even possible.

Lysandro had accomplished many great things—

But he had died young, afflicted by an unknown illness.

No records existed of what had killed him.

Some speculated he had succumbed to wounds left untreated from war. Others believed he had been assassinated by political rivals.

There were even rumors that he had wasted away in grief after losing the love of his life.

But the one thing everyone knew was—

Lysandro had never married.

And he had left no heirs.

“It’s honestly a blessing that Sinaize has no interest in the throne.”

Cassis shrugged.

“Can you imagine how troublesome it would be if they did?”

“As if that would ever happen.”

“I know, I know. Neither you nor Duke Dillian have any interest in power. That’s why I’m giving this back to you. It’s a gift, but also a gesture of goodwill.”

It was a touching scene, but I couldn’t bring myself to smile.

It was good that Therze had recovered this relic—

But would the Emperor really let this go so easily?

Sinaize may have been part of the original bloodline, but this dagger belongs to the Imperial Family now.

How had Cassis managed to return it?

Could he be using this as a way to gain leverage over Sinaize?

“You’re wondering if I plan to use this against Sinaize, aren’t you?”

Caught in my thoughts, I flinched at his sudden remark.

Cassis met my eyes and grinned.

“No need to worry. This was a personal gift from His Majesty for my birthday. It’s mine now, so I can do whatever I want with it.”

Even though he could have asked for something far better, he had chosen this—just to return it to Therze.

That single gesture was enough to touch Therze’s heart.

“For His Highness to celebrate this old man’s birthday like this… I am truly honored.”

“The honor is mine.”

Cassis was the Crown Prince, but his maternal family was weak, making his political footing unstable.

In the original story, he had only solidified his position after gaining full support from Aina and the Holy Temple—along with eliminating Dillian, his greatest rival.

But since Aina had been busy dealing with the Darkness, she hadn’t been able to support him.

Without the temple’s influence, his power should have weakened.

But now, with Lexter and Manus targeting me, Dillian had no choice but to back Cassis to get rid of them.

Cassis probably didn’t plan for this to happen, but he did intend to win over Therze from the start.

Considering his birthday was in January, that meant he had obtained this dagger months ago and had simply been waiting for this moment.

He’s much more cunning and meticulous than I thought.

No wonder he became Emperor.

For the first time, I saw the politician hidden beneath his usual easygoing demeanor.

“Ria, do you feel anything special from this dagger?”

“Hmm… not really. It just seems to glow a little.”

But that wasn’t uncommon.

Artifacts could absorb power over time—especially in sacred places.