I Became The Wife Of The Cursed Grand Duke Chapter 156

Unfortunately for Deborah, they were out of their minds now.

She had no idea the desperation with which the cliff-dwellers greeted her.

No, she couldn’t have known.

Their feelings were not a consideration for her.

 

“Your Highness is the Messiah who has come down to save us, so of course you will do so.”

 

But even Deborah was not so blind as to disobey them.

The townspeople watched her with bloodshot eyes, expecting her to refuse.

As they approached, pickaxes and scythes in hand, there was not a shred of reason left in their gaze.

 

“Uh, yeah. Okay, okay!”

 

Deborah could only nod reluctantly.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Evelyn was heading somewhere with Ines now.

She didn’t know where.

She didn’t even remember why she had gotten into the carriage.

She could only guess that while talking to Ines, the sky had darkened and the atmosphere had grown unnerving.

The pounding rain scratched at her eardrums.

 

‘This is even more unnerving since I just heard the first oracle about Deborah…’

 

Evelyn glanced nervously at the package on the table as the dreary air hung heavily around them.

 

“This must be a bonamana trap.”

 

She knew it, but she had no other choice.

Taking a deep breath, she untied the knot with trembling hands.

 

“Huh!”

 

Something was wrong.

 

“This, this…!”

 

What Julius had sent her were the epaulettes of the Knights of Blackwood—and someone’s neatly severed finger.

 

“Ugh!”

 

Instantly nauseous, Evelyn stopped the carriage and emptied her stomach before climbing back in, her face grim.

As she swept her rain-soaked hair out of her face, contempt twisted her expression.

 

“Truly, you are a madman.”

 

It was a declaration of war against the north—and by extension, the imperial court.

‘Was Julius willing to go toe-to-toe with his own son to get what he wanted?’

 

Evelyn read the enclosed letter with trembling eyes.

 

<I will wait for you at the siege. If you do not appear by the time the red moon is hidden in the darkness, I will cut off the heads of everyone here and post them at the checkpoints.>

 

A cold sweat trickled down her neck.

It was a threat—surrender your life if you wanted to save those you cared about.

 

“Cunning man.”

 

Frowning, Evelyn crumpled the letter.

Then she tilted her head back and leaned against the carriage seat.

She braced herself, but dizziness still washed over her.

 

“…….”

 

Ines hadn’t spoken until then. But their earlier conversation had been enough to confirm her intentions.

 

‘At your will. What could be more irresponsible than that? But what else could she say, having lost all her power?’

 

In the past, Helene, who had sealed away her loved ones, had also chosen death—but she had not found eternal rest.

Babel had used his last strength to extract her soul.

 

“To transfer my soul into the body of a long-lived xenomorph,” she had said, “whether for my own good or as a curse to live in eternal torment, I know not.”

 

Resurrected as Ines, Helene had then organized a group to fight against Babel.

 

“In the process of being re-created, I lost all my power. All I can do now is lead the way… so you can destroy Babel once and for all.”

 

“A way to destroy Babel once and for all…”

 

Evelyn muttered to herself and closed her eyes.

To save the world, she would have to seal Babel within herself using a holy object—and then sacrifice her life to the magic sword.

That meant death at Kalian’s hands.

 

‘What a shallow fate. What a cruel way to live, losing two wives before his eyes.’

 

Evelyn was deeply troubled—not for herself, but for Kalian.

 

“Is there any other way but to sacrifice myself?”

 

No one could force her.

But considering the disaster awaiting the empire, she couldn’t simply ignore it.

 

‘An ancient evil like no other is awakening.’

 

As Evelyn pondered, she suddenly remembered the faces she saw every day.

Her godmother and handmaiden, who had given her the warmth of a mother’s love.

 

Lucy, who had helped her adjust to life in the capital.

 

The butler who had always watched over her.

And the people of the Grand Duchy, who greeted her with sincere smiles whenever they met.

 

‘But I can’t sacrifice my child for that…’

 

Evelyn rubbed her stomach and sighed deeply.

 

“What am I supposed to do in times like this?”

 

At this crossroads, the face she’d been trying so hard not to think about surfaced in her mind.

 

“I don’t want to drag you through that filthy mud, so trust me—I’m doing this for your own good.”

 

It was Kalian.

His face had been pale, as if his heart had been trampled.

 

‘So, you knew all along. You hid everything from me because you knew it would cost me my life…’

 

Why had the man who professed his love with every fiber of his being turned away when she asked about Babel?

Now she understood—he knew better than anyone that she had purifying powers.

 

‘Would he really try to sacrifice me? The Kalian I know would never harm me with his own hands—even if it meant watching the world burn.’

 

 

* * *

 

 

Soon, the carriage pulled up in front of Bernard’s medical center.

Evelyn had asked to stop, knowing she had to say goodbye—whether for the last time or not.

Leaving Ines behind, she stepped out alone.

 

The wind howled violently, and the sky was an inky black, like the gates of hell.

 

“I’ve never seen such unpleasant weather, not even during the plague…”

 

“It’s ominous. Let’s all close up shop early and go home!”

 

Fear was etched on the faces of the residents, and the manor’s atmosphere was uneasy.

Ignoring their chatter, Evelyn paused before the medical barracks.

 

Just as she was about to enter, someone flung open the door.

 

“Evelyn…!”

 

It was Leon.

He smiled as if he’d been expecting her, though nervousness flickered in his eyes.

Glancing around to ensure they weren’t followed, he slipped an arm around her back and guided her inside.

 

“Reah’s gone home for a bit. I’ll be right back with what you need, so have a seat and wait.”

 

Leon led her to a thickly padded chair and handed her a cup of hot tea.

 

“I’m glad you came. I was going to fetch you if you didn’t.”

 

As always, he was thoughtful—but there was urgency in his actions.

Evelyn’s impatience showed as she rushed to speak before he could continue.

 

“There’s a disturbance in the Empire. It could lead to civil war—or worse.”

 

He placed a newspaper on the table.

 

<Riot of fanatics against the deposition of the High Priest!>

 

The article claimed the Emperor’s death and the empire’s tragedies were the Sun God’s will.

To set things right, they demanded the Guardian’s removal and Julius’s coronation.

 

“How can this…?”

 

When her shaky gaze lifted, it locked with Leon’s.

His trust steadied her.

 

“I’ve secured a ship bound for Medor. It’s a trading vessel—safe. Come with me…”

 

“Leon.”

 

His hopeful expression dimmed as she spoke his name.

Perhaps he already sensed the choice she was about to make.

 

“No, for now, just listen.”

 

He was proposing she leave with him—just as they’d once planned.

But Evelyn hadn’t decided anything yet. His offer wasn’t even in her thoughts.

 

“…….”

 

Realizing persuasion was futile, Leon sighed and ran a hand over his face.

 

“It’s not safe to head to Bellatra now. You don’t know what could happen.”

 

According to Ines, the seed of evil was Deborah, and the apocalypse would begin with her.

Instead of traveling north, they needed to go to Bellatra to assess the situation.

Leon’s worry wasn’t unfounded.

 

Evelyn studied him before smiling faintly and nodding.

 

“Sometimes it takes reckless courage.”

 

Understanding her refusal, Leon grew more insistent.

 

“I don’t want you to go. I… still owe you.”

 

“No, Leon. You’ve done enough. I want to protect the people I love.”

 

His eyes reddened, matching his hair.

 

“What about the baby? If you’re in danger, so are they.”

 

His lashes trembled as he spoke.

Evelyn took a deep breath, recalling Ines’s words.

 

“The Transcendent Purifier can’t heal my body by nature, but there is a way.”

 

“The children will be fine. I’ve found a solution.”

 

“If there’s a way…”

 

A shadow crossed his face.

Instead of explaining, Evelyn clutched his hand tightly.

 

“So, Leon… I know it’s unfair, but can I ask you a favor?”