The Monster Duke Mistook Me for His Wife Chapter 129

[Why~?]

When Kkami tilted his head in confusion, Dillian and Aina both shook their heads with sour expressions.

His innocent behavior, completely unaware of anything, made the two of them lose their motivation altogether.

Aina knelt down and poked Kkami.

Poke, poke.

[Heehee, that tickles.]

“I still can’t believe it. I mean, how can something change this much?”

Aina had moved past confusion and now showed signs of curiosity.

“Is this what they call a total reformation?”

“He’s just returned to how he was in the beginning.”

“Seriously, he used to be this pure?”

Aina and Nathan chatted quietly as they climbed the stairs.

Just then, as I watched Kkami naturally trailing behind them—

“Dillian?”

His long fingers laced tightly with mine.

“It’d be bad if you tripped in the dark.”

Dillian added as he held my hand tightly.

“You’re always a bit careless, Ria.”

“Are you insulting me right now?”

I glared at him with narrowed eyes.

His face, faintly lit in the darkness, wore a playful smile.

“Hmph, whatever! Who’s careless now?”

I snorted and tried to shake his hand off, but his fingers didn’t budge.

“Let go.”

“I lied, actually.”

“Even so—”

“I’m scared.”

“…Scared?”

Dillian Sinaise… scared?

He gave a bitter smile and spoke in a low voice.

“I’m afraid of losing you again. Of watching you slip away right in front of my eyes.”

His rare display of vulnerability startled me, and I instinctively held his hand tighter.

“I’m sorry. I won’t do it again.”

“I don’t believe you.”

…Couldn’t he at least pretend to consider it? That was fast.

“I really mean it!”

When I met his eyes full of doubt—no, outright distrust—my frustration bubbled up.

“It was just for a little while. Is our trust already broken after a day and a half?”

“You know, we’ve never been apart. Not even for a single day.”

I had been pouting, but paused at his words.

Come to think of it, aside from short trips, we really hadn’t spent time apart.

Even then, we always told each other when we left and were back before dinner.

“……”

“You say it was brief, but to me, that brief time felt like a thousand years.”

“That’s a bit dramatic…”

Embarrassed, I grumbled and lowered my head, but I couldn’t hide the heat creeping up to my ears.

“Ria, did you… not miss me?”

“…I did.”

It’s not like I didn’t feel anything. I even regretted leaving him behind here, if only for a moment.

“I missed you. A lot.”

A slow smile spread across Dillian’s face. His joy was obvious.

“I missed you too.”

Golden butterflies fluttered around us.

Glowing softly in the darkness, they made it feel like we had stepped into another world.

“Guess they’re not done yet.”

Aina shot us a disapproving glance.

“I’m going on ahead.”

[Kkami’s going too!]

“Okay, let’s go together.”

Aina took Arrest from my arms and stepped up the stairs.

“If I leave him with you lovebirds, you might forget him. I’ll take him.”

Clicking his tongue, Nathan flew up and perched on Aina’s shoulder.

“I can’t watch this. I’m going ahead!”

“Wait, if we get separated it could be danger—!”

I reached toward Aina’s back as she walked off, but Dillian stopped me.

“What’s there to worry about? The Saintess is with them.”

With the interrupters gone, Dillian stepped in like he’d been waiting.

“There’s something that’s been bothering me.”

His quiet voice tickled my ear.

“This outfit. What is it?”

“Huh?”

“It’s beautiful, but I’d prefer if you only wore something like this in front of me.”

He gently touched the flowing edge of my sleeve.

“It’s all white, like a wedding dress.”

Though he smiled, there was something intense in his eyes.

Red alert blared in my head.

One wrong word and I’m doomed!

I frantically waved my hands.

“Wedding dress?! No way, you’ve got it all wrong! This is what I wore in my previous life.”

I had been the first Saintess back then. I usually wore light, flowy clothes like this.

Just as I started rambling—

Grind.

A loud grinding of teeth echoed from above.

‘Why’s he even angrier now…?’

Dillian, who normally hid his emotions well, was now openly sulking.

“So it’s a dress from your past life… Is that a challenge?”

“…What?”

“Nothing.”

It totally wasn’t nothing.

Dillian quickly took off his coat and draped it over my shoulders.

Apparently not satisfied with just that, he wrapped it tightly around me and buttoned it up.

As I quietly let him fuss over me, my gaze shifted to his waist.

That sword…

Faintly glowing—the holy sword, without a doubt.

Maybe because it had returned to its rightful owner, the energy it gave off felt completely different.

“Alright then.”

Satisfied after bundling me up in his coat, Dillian smiled and reached out his hand.

“Let’s go up too.”

 

 

****

 

 

At last, we were all in one place.

Aina and Cassis, already fully reunited, were clinging to each other like they were one.

‘They’re practically dripping honey.’

Was this how Aina felt watching me and Dillian? My face grew hot.

Seeing their rosy aura, Fabian turned away with a bitter look on his face.

‘Oh no… poor guy.’

I quietly offered my sympathy to Fabian, who’d been rejected before even confessing.

“Lady Ria!”

“Sera?”

Sera came running over, her eyes watery as she bowed her head.

“I’m sorry. I should’ve protected you. I’m so sorry for letting you end up in a place like this.”

“No, it was my choice. I’m just glad you’re awake and safe.”

I had been worried about not knowing Sera’s condition before coming here—so it was a huge relief.

‘They said they all came here using Kanae’s teleportation magic.’

I’d wondered how they crossed a distance that takes two days even with a warp—but it had been thanks to Kanae.

The downside was that it only worked for a limited number of people.

Maybe that’s why all the faces were familiar.

Dillian, Cassis, Nathan, and Sera.

Just the four of them—a small, elite group.

Kanae, having exhausted her mana from the teleportation spell, was waiting near the black market.

Her allies, the Schatten Knights, were standing guard outside in case anything happened.

‘If too many people move at once, it’ll draw attention.’

It’d be best if we could slip away quietly like this.

“Ria, we need to get to the Grand Temple immediately.”

Harris, holding Arrest in his arms, spoke urgently.

And with good reason. Arrest’s condition was worsening by the minute.

Though I had placed butterflies on him, that was only a temporary fix.

“We have to.”

That’s when it happened.

A sinister energy weighed heavily on my shoulder—like it was pressing down with all its might.

“…If only we could.”

I could feel it now. A massive barrier had been cast around the entire area.

‘Coma noticed something.’

And I wasn’t the only one who sensed the shift.

Kkami, who had been running around watching the others, suddenly hid behind me in a panic.

[Ria. He’s angry.]

“Yeah. I feel it too. He’s not going to let us go so easily.”

“No surprise. It was inevitable the moment we took Arrest.”

Nathan slapped my cheek lightly to keep me alert.

Aina, too, must’ve felt it. Her face was serious as she stepped closer to me.

“What’s going on?”

“Sir Harris… we’re trapped.”

At Aina’s words, Harris furrowed his brows.

“Trapped? What do you mean?”

“Darkness must’ve realized what’s happening. He blocked off our escape routes. A barrier’s gone up—I think it’s engulfed the entire building.”

A heavy silence fell.

Everyone bit their lips as the atmosphere sank.

But in the midst of this tension, two people looked completely unbothered.

“No need to worry.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

It was Cassis and Dillian.

Dillian, who had gently placed the rabbit mask on my face earlier, now smoothed down my tousled hair and said,

“We’ll participate in the auction.”

“The auction?”

An auction, at a time like this?

Frowning in confusion, I looked at Dillian—and he gave a mischievous grin.

“We have bait.”

 

 

****

 

 

This was the Empire’s largest black market.

And today was auction day.

“Ladies and gentlemen participating in the auction! Welcome!”

Wooooaaah—!

Cheers erupted from all directions.

The thick, unpleasant air made me fiddle with my mask for no reason.

‘This place is disgusting.’

Nathan poked his head out from where he’d been hiding in my arms.

“What a filthy place.”

“Yeah.”

On the surface, it looked like a private auction exclusively for nobles.
But in truth, it was a brutal place where people were bought and sold.

Eyeballs of rare colors, werewolf fangs, elf wings.

As these grotesque items were brought out one after another, the crowd roared with excitement.

Sickened by the madness in the air, I clung to Dillian’s side.

“Dillian. Didn’t Giselle come?”

“No. I knocked her out and locked her in a room.”

“…What?”

“She was getting on my nerves, so I got rid of her.”

“Got rid of…”

“Bringing her here would’ve only caused trouble.”

That was such a Dillian solution.

‘Harsh, but… he made the right call.’

I understood Giselle’s desire to protect Dante, but seeing him would have made her lose control for sure.

Just like Dillian said—it would’ve only gotten in the way.

“Good job—huh?”

I couldn’t believe my eyes.

“Our next item is a man known as the Living Curse!”

I pointed in shock toward the auction stage.

“Why is Rexter here?!”

“Mmph! Mmmph! Mmmph!”

The one thrashing like a live fish on stage was none other than Rexter Blent.