I Don't Need the Grand Duke's Regret - Chapter 66
The tone that was steady and chilling, filled the hallway. Ezio froze under the overwhelming presence of his Master, who seemed to bring a snowstorm with him.
The Grand Duke always had an overpowering aura, but now it bore a deadly intensity, akin to the battlefield’s ruthlessness.
It felt as though he could take Ezio’s life at any moment.
Ezio’s fingertips turned ice-cold standing before Ricardo. He knew he had to buy time, but his words were stuck.
“Move aside.”
Ricardo coldly commanded the statue-like Ezio and reached for the doorknob. The moment he touched the door, his eyes narrowed sharply.
The ominous premonition that haunted him when leaving Renato enveloped him once again.
He should have been on his way to the capital, passing through the forest surrounding it.
The forest, filled with Elda trees, was unique for its red leaves, stretching from the trunk to the very tips.
As the crimson forest came into view, Ricardo drew a sharp breath.
Before him unfolded the vision of the Red Room that was swallowed by dark shadows, with a woman’s body hanging lifelessly from the ceiling.
The image of his mother, who took her own life while missing her beloved, spread across Ricardo’s vision.
Ricardo spurred his horse and tried to ignore the scene. The nightmares that haunted him every time he saw red were exhausting.
But as the red forest drew nearer, the face of the woman in his vision shifted from his mother’s to someone else’s.
To the sorrowful and beautiful face of Armilla.
The cursed apparition was too vivid. Eventually, Ricardo could no longer ignore it and turned his horse around.
Despite Nasir’s voice from behind trying to stop him, he had no time to respond.
He just needed to check and then he could leave.
Just to confirm that Armilla was alive.
“Master, just a moment…”
Ricardo ignored Ezio and flung the door open. To reveal an empty room.
His purple eyes quickly scanned the room, then moved towards the neatly arranged bed. He walked into the dressing room with an expressionless face.
After checking the usual dressing room and bathroom, Ricardo swiftly exited the room, heading towards the Red Room.
“Master!”
“Master!”
People who were taken aback by Ricardo’s sudden actions, called after him. However, Ricardo crossed the hallway as if he couldn’t hear them.
Bang!
Ricardo kicked the door open and took a deep breath. His eyes thoroughly scanned the Red Room while emitting a deadly aura.
Nothing.
Nowhere to be found.
“Where did she go?”
From between Ricardo’s teeth came a growl, like that of a beast. He turned his glaring eyes towards Ezio.
“Answer, Ezio.”
Ezio, who followed Ricardo closely, flinched. He wetted his parched lips and barely managed to open his mouth.
“That, that woman… she threatened me. She said she would slit her own throat if I didn’t let her go…”
“…Ha.”
Hearing Ezio’s excuse, Ricardo let out a scoff. With a chilling gaze as cold as ice, he looked around the room before bursting into laughter.
“Hahaha…ha… Ahahaha!”
His jittery laughter echoed ominously in the Red Room. The sight of him standing tall, laughing with shining eyes in the Red Room, was chilling to the bone.
“Your Grace…!”
Nasir, who had arrived at the mansion belatedly, urgently looked for his master. However, Ricardo’s shoulders kept shaking in small laughter, not even sparing a glance at Nasir.
“Release the hounds immediately. Send all the knights to the mountains.”
After a long bout of laughter, Ricardo stopped and spoke. His face was calm as he gave the order, then turned to look at Ezio.
“And Ezio, you.”
“I am sorry, Master!”
Feeling the Grand Duke’s sharp gaze, Ezio fell to his knees. The servants, including Nasir, anticipated that Ricardo would slash Ezio’s throat right there. However, Ricardo just stared at him silently.
“What did Armilla say last?”
“Pardon?”
“What did she say before she left?”
Ezio looked up at the Grand Duke while still in shock.
The face that had just been radiating a fearsome murderous intent was now surprisingly calm. So calm, in fact, that it was impossible to guess what was on his mind.
Ezio answered, entranced by the Grand Duke’s beautiful face.
“She thanked me.”
“Thanked you, huh…”
Ricardo repeated Ezio’s words, murmuring to himself.
“Even so, she’ll be caught soon.”
His tone sounded genuinely regretful. Ricardo casually remarked after passing by Ezio.
“Ezio Goffredo is hereby demoted from the position of Commander of the Knights to a regular knight. A man so easily swayed can’t be entrusted with the Black Wolf Knights.”
Ricardo gave Ezio a fleeting glance and continued.
“However, if you capture the Grand Duchess, you will be reinstated as Commander of the Knights.”
With that, Ricardo walked out of the room. As he passed through the corridors and the lobby, servants, including Paolo, bowed deeply.
“Light every room in the mansion. Vittore will not sleep until the Grand Duchess returns.”
“As you wish.”
After giving the order to Paolo, Ricardo mounted his horse. He clenched the reins and looked up at the snow-covered mountain.
He had ascended that mountain countless times. The number of nights he had camped out hunting beasts was beyond count. Finding one woman should be an easy task.
No need to worry.
The leather reins were pulled tight. Growling hunting dogs surrounded the Grand Duke.
Ricardo sternly addressed the knights with the dogs.
“Find the Grand Duchess. A grand reward awaits anyone who finds her.”
“Yes, Master!”
The knights bowed in unison to the Grand Duke’s command. Ricardo galloped towards the mountain leading the knights.
His purple eyes bore a sinister red hue as he rode into the mountain.
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