I Became The Wife Of The Cursed Grand Duke Chapter 158

And this was only possible because Deborah didn’t know who she was or what Evelyn truly represented.

No one, not even Julius, had told her.

No one, not even Julius, had revealed that both Evelyn and Deborah were needed to complete the ritual.

 

‘She’ll see. What she’s done will be the snare that eventually catches Julius’ ankle.’

Of course, it was possible Deborah wouldn’t be so shallow.

But that didn’t mean there wasn’t a way to rescue Evelyn.

They just had to sweep them all away without looking back.

It was a bit violent, but it suited Kalian’s temperament.

In his current mood, he wanted to bathe the entire empire in blood, no matter the odds.

But would Evelyn like that? Kalian wasn’t sure.

He wanted to end things with as little destruction as possible—without incurring his wife’s wrath.

Even if she didn’t, she was the one he hated.

He knew he couldn’t do this in front of her eyes, no matter how twisted things became.

 

“Purrrrr!”

 

Riding his horse relentlessly, his mind racing, Kalian finally stopped before the massive gates.

Benjamin, who had arrived earlier, ran up to him, his face grim.

 

“What can we do? Even if we build a makeshift bridge right away, it’ll take at least half a day.”

 

Kalian surveyed the situation with calm eyes.

 

“As expected.”

 

Just as he’d anticipated, the drawbridges were down. The castle’s interior must have been emptied.

The torches in the towers were extinguished, and the sentries had been killed by the power of death.

Kalian nodded, certain Julius had taken them somewhere as hostages.

 

“It’ll take time, but it’s the only way for now. I’ll go in first. As soon as we clear the bridge, we’ll infiltrate and search inside.”

 

He dismounted and snapped his fingers.

 

“Sire, if you go in alone, it’ll be a matter of safety—!”

 

But before Benjamin could finish, Kalian was engulfed by shadows.

His expression never wavered as he disappeared, thinking only of what had to be done.

 

“Well, you’re not the one to worry about right now, Your Grace.”

 

Benjamin immediately ordered his knights to chop down trees, and they moved in unison, their faces determined.

 

 

* * *

 

 

The Great Hall of the Grand Duchy was lavishly decorated.

Candlelight from the chandeliers reflected off the marble floors and snow-white walls, amplifying the grandeur.

At the center stood a massive throne.

 

Julius sipped his wine and spoke loudly, as if he owned the place.

 

“There! There are still traces of Orpheus by the window! I don’t want to see it—burn it down!”

 

“Yes!”

 

Men in black priestly robes bustled about, carrying insignias of unknown meaning.

Instead of Orpheus’ banners, the walls now bore Julius’ family crest—a grotesque image of a giant dragon swallowing a red serpent.

 

“Great, this is it! This is it!”

 

It was the cornerstone of a new imperial dynasty, a triumphant sign of bloodless conquest.

 

“Hang them on the walls too! Let that serpentine bastard know who owns this castle now!”

 

The banners fluttered in the gusting wind.

 

Julius’ gaze flickered to the open windows as he watched in satisfaction.

 

“Hahahaha! Behold, the red moon has risen just in time!”

 

This meant the regenerative blood and dark power infused into Deborah had successfully manifested.

 

“The moment that moon is completely covered in darkness, Babel will descend to the human realm and guide us!”

 

Julius jumped to his feet, shaking his fist in joy.

As if echoing his words, the congregation fell to the ground, cheering.

 

“O Babel, creator of heaven and earth! Save us!”

 

For a moment, Julius’ face lit up with emotion at their adoration. But it was fleeting.

His leisurely gaze swept over the crowd.

 

‘Not long now. All that remained was transferring Deborah’s soul into the body of a Transcendent. Then, I would be crowned emperor of Babel’s new empire.’

 

Julius drained his goblet in one swift gulp, as if toasting.

 

So it had come to this. All the vengeance he’d sought, all the anger he’d harbored, would end here, in the Grand Duchy.

 

He hadn’t meant for it to come to this.

He was human—of course he felt some guilt for Claudia and Cedric.

But what could he do? Cedric had been too weak for the notoriety he’d earned.

No wonder he’d hallucinated in the Dark Curtain, drowning in useless guilt.

 

Weakness was useless.

Look at the Emperor and his brothers—dead and gone, all for lack of strength.

But Julius? Though weak in body, his mind had carried him to this height.

Absolute power came from a strong will.

 

With a bitter smile, Julius set the empty goblet down and placed his hand on the sealing stone beside it.

He could feel the blood energy within twitching uncomfortably.

 

“Just wait.”

 

Humming, he stroked the sealstone lazily.

 

“I’ll have you out of there soon.”

 

Then—

 

“Julius, the Grand Duke is on his way here now.”

 

An acolyte hurried through the doorway, delivering the report.

 

“What? Who?”

 

Julius’ mood darkened at the mere mention. He glared at the newcomer, eyes burning.

 

“The Grand Duke!”

 

Despite himself, Julius flinched. Fear lurked deep in his instincts.

To mask it, he forced dignity into his voice.

 

“There is no Grand Duke in my empire! Johansen and the House of Orpheus will be erased from history as of today!”

 

“Forgive me!”

 

Realizing his mistake, the acolyte dropped to his knees.

Julius considered mercy—but example was everything.

 

“Fool! Your sin is punishable by death!”

 

The believer clasped his hands in desperate supplication.

 

“I’ll never utter that blasphemous name again! Spare me!”

 

Julius sneered.

 

“Begging like a bug won’t save you. You’ll burn in sulfurous flames for eternity!”

 

He reached out, sleeves fluttering. Black aura coalesced around his hand, stretching toward the wide-eyed worshipper.

 

“Crack!”

 

The energy sharpened into a spear, piercing the man’s mouth. His head exploded, blood splattering everywhere.

 

“Hahaha! Witness the fate of those who defy me!”

 

With an exaggerated gesture, Julius withdrew his power.

 

“Kuung—!”

 

The Great Hall’s heavy doors swung open.

 

The crowd instinctively bowed as a towering figure stepped through—the Grand Duke himself.

 

“What a way to welcome me.”

 

His low voice cut through the silence as he strode forward, surveying the bowed heads.

When he reached the center, he sighed wearily, locking eyes with Julius.

 

“I didn’t invite you. Yet here you are, defiling my castle. Convenient, but not pleasant.”

 

Julius scoffed.

 

“If you’d seen the corpses outside, you’d realize I’ve mastered the power of death.”

Besides, he’d cut off all bridges. Kalian must have used transportation magic—or the Blood God’s power.

But what could one man do alone?

 

“Tsk. You still don’t understand.”

 

Julius studied Kalian’s stiffened posture, then smiled condescendingly.

 

“It’s not too late. Repent now, and I’ll grant you eternal glory in Babel’s sanctuary.”

 

With the emperor dead, the empire was vulnerable. It was time to seize power.

 

“No matter how skilled you are, there’s no future in resistance.”

 

A smug grin twisted Julius’ lips.

 

“I don’t know who’s foolish and who’s not.”

 

Kalian, who had been watching silently, suddenly burst into laughter.