I Became The Wife Of The Cursed Grand Duke Chapter 117

As expected, the person who arrived was Leon.

 

“I’m glad to see you’re well. When you suddenly disappeared in the dungeon, I truly felt… as if everything went dark before my eyes.”

He shook his head slightly, as if the memory still made him dizzy.

 

Then, he began to explain in detail what had happened after her disappearance.

Fortunately, thanks to Kalian’s help, Leon had managed to escape the dungeon safely.

He also mentioned that, at Kalian’s request, he had sent a message to the imperial palace.

“Not long after, the imperial knights arrived to resolve the situation. It was complete chaos.”

It was only natural.

The appearance of a dungeon field without the red moon was an unprecedented event in Cardassian’s history.

“But no matter what we tried, we couldn’t re-enter the dungeon.”

“What?”

“I think the only reason I was able to enter the dungeon in the first place was… because the dungeon and the gate were connected, creating a gap at the entrance.”

 

This meant that after the gate in the Grand Duchy closed, the dungeon entrance had also been automatically sealed.

 

“Ah… That makes sense.”

 

This made it clearer that the gate in the north had been opened to trap her in the dungeon.

A land shrouded in magic, and the dungeon that lay beneath it—a place where no ordinary human could easily survive.

‘They tried to imprison me in such a place.’

 

Evelyn bit her lip, feeling a surge of anger.

‘Marcella losing her memory, the child born into the Lawrence family—it was all part of their plan.’

 

If Dante’s words were true, she had been created from the beginning to be a sacrificial offering.

So, when she was swept into the gate and submerged in blood, the fear and helplessness she felt must have meant nothing to them.

‘Were they willing to endanger the entire empire for their own safety? I can’t understand their way of thinking.’

 

But what was even more frustrating was her own powerlessness to resist such people.

“Sigh.”

‘Enough. Trying to understand them will only give me a headache.’

 

Evelyn tried to regain her composure.

 

“We were trying to figure out how to resolve the situation when suddenly, a loud noise came from inside the dungeon.”

 

Leon’s words immediately caught her attention.

“A loud noise?”

He nodded gravely.

“Along with a bright white barrier, just like the pillar of light you created in Litchev.”

A shiver ran down her spine.

“And do you know what happened next?”

The urgency in Leon’s expression was palpable.

 

“What… happened?”

Evelyn’s eyes widened in curiosity. After a long pause, Leon finally spoke.

 

“The land corrupted by magic was purified in an instant.”

 

“What?!”

She had heard about the corrupted land before.

After mutated monsters appeared in the Cabana Grove, magic began to spread sporadically, turning the territory black.

It was a serious issue for the empire, even costing the life of the imperial guard captain.

Nothing could survive on land that was rotting away—not people, not animals, not even plants.

The fact that the land had been purified was undoubtedly good news.

But Evelyn couldn’t bring herself to rejoice.

The fact that the land, which even the saintess’s purification rituals had failed to cleanse, was now clean…

Evelyn clenched her fist tightly on her thigh, a sinking feeling in her chest.

“Was the saintess nearby at the time?”

 

“We’re still verifying the details, but there’s been no official statement yet.”

 

Leon’s gaze lingered on her, as if he suspected she was the one who had purified the land.

‘But…’

Evelyn absentmindedly fiddled with her earring, lowering her gaze.

 

‘I’ve never even seen the corrupted land, let alone used my powers to purify it.’

 

And to think that she, who hadn’t even stepped outside the dungeon, had purified the land? It was absurd.

 

As she lost herself in thought, Leon carefully chose his words before speaking again.

“The Lindberg family, who settled in the Irina Gorge, was annihilated because of Daphne, the wife of the first guardian.”

Evelyn looked up, startled.

She recalled the contents of the verdict she had seen in Kalian’s secret room.

“Was it because of the charge of seducing the guardian?”

“Most likely.”

 

Leon continued.

“After that, the necklace among the sacred relics kept by the Lindberg family was stolen from the temple. It’s said to have the ability to measure divine power.”

“I’ve seen my half-sister wearing that necklace.”

The conversation continued in a tense atmosphere.

Evelyn suddenly paused, struck by a question that had been on her mind for a while.

“But Leon, aren’t you from Monteigne?”

“Not anymore. I’ve been exiled.”

Leon gave a bitter smile.

“You’re wondering why a foreigner like me is part of the magic guild, aren’t you?”

“To be honest… yes.”

 

“It’s simple. Ines took me in when my parents died during the war, and I had no way to support my younger sister.”

Evelyn was too stunned to respond. Embarrassed, Leon scratched his head.

“And I hate magical beasts. My parents died because of the beasts used in the war. I was granted a title, but what good is that when my parents are gone?”

 

‘Ah…’

Evelyn let out a long sigh, recalling what Reah had told her about their past.

“Our parents were treated like slaves on the battlefield just because they had healing abilities. My brother too.”

Feeling guilty, Evelyn pressed her lips together.

“I’m sorry. Given the circumstances, I’ve been overly sensitive.”

“It’s alright. If I can be of even the slightest help to you—no, to Her Grace the Grand Duchess—then I’m satisfied.”

His earnest voice calmed her troubled mind.

At the same time, she couldn’t help but marvel at Ines’s ability to recognize talent.

No, more accurately, she became curious about Ines’s true identity.

 

‘Could she have foreseen my connection with Leon and helped him because of it?’

In the past, she would have dismissed such an idea as nonsense.

But now, after traveling through time and meeting her mother, her perspective has broadened.

 

If she considered that Ines had anticipated her inheriting the sacred relics and guided her mother to Helena’s coffin…

‘No, I shouldn’t jump to conclusions. I still don’t even know what my mission is.’

 

“Ahem.” Leon cleared his throat, pulling her out of her thoughts.

“Anyway, I’ve heard there are three sacred relics left by the first saintess. Each has a specialized ability, but…”

“…”

“They’re considered the continent’s only hope because they can completely destroy the demon king.”

Evelyn’s fingers trembled slightly.

“What exactly are these specialized abilities?”

Leon shook his head.

 

He didn’t know the details.

This gave Evelyn another reason to meet Ines.

 

‘I need to return to the north as soon as possible. Once I resolve the questions and information I’ve gathered, my path will become clearer.’

Evelyn’s gaze drifted aimlessly out the window, her expression darkening.

 

* * *

 

At the same time, Kalian was listening to Benjamin’s report while staring out the window of his office.

“After the two of you were swept into the gate, the commotion died down. Thanks to everyone’s efforts, there were no casualties.”

“But?”

“Due to the aftermath of the dark magic, the magic levels near the territory’s forests have begun to rise abnormally.”

Kalian’s brow furrowed as he kept his gaze fixed outside.

“How fast is it spreading?”

“Very slowly. But even the mages are at a loss, so we might need Her Grace’s help…”

“Leave it. I’ll handle it once I return.”

Benjamin wasn’t surprised by the response, but he couldn’t suppress the rising anger.

“So, you’re going to let the saintess take credit for purifying the land too?”

“Watch your words.”

Kalian turned sharply.

“It’s not the saintess’s doing. It’s Evelyn—she’s the one who did it.”

 

His cold gaze locked onto Benjamin.

He knew why Benjamin’s attitude had shifted. The emperor’s decision to award the saintess a medal had clearly left him dissatisfied.

 

“Do you really have to go this far?”

As expected, Benjamin, who would normally have bowed immediately, shook his head in disbelief.

“I understand your feelings, Your Grace. But you can’t hide the truth forever.”

“What do you mean by that?”

 

Kalian spat out the question. Benjamin stood his ground.

 

“Everyone is proclaiming Her Grace the Grand Duchess as the true saintess. No matter how hard you try, the current saintess can never be the real one.”

With that, Benjamin pulled out a piece of paper from his coat and placed it on the table with a thud.

<Who is the true owner of the light that purified the corrupted land?>

 

Kalian’s eyes narrowed sharply as he read the bold text.

Benjamin sighed.

“This was distributed in Adelheim’s grand square earlier. We’ve already retrieved them, but it’s only a matter of time before the rumors spread.”