My Dear Grand Duke on a Leash - Chapter 38

Chapter 19.2 — How to create a child (8)

“Get in, I’ll take you for a drive. Don’t you have a lot of things to say to me, too? If it weren’t for the Grand Duke’s arrival, you’d have lost quite a few people.”

If Cain hadn’t arrived in time, although her sister’s life would be spared because it wasn’t a lethal bomb, it certainly wouldn’t have been the same for the unborn child in her womb.

…Originally, the bomb was set up with the purpose of causing a miscarriage for her sister.

A sense of horror sent shivers down her spine. Riette glared at Narkissis with determination in her round eyes.

“If that were the case, you would have been pleased, wouldn’t you? I would’ve lost my mind at the thought of losing my sister, and I would’ve begged Your Highness to do anything for you to please leave my sister and mother alone.”

The Grand Duke mentioned that as well.

Narkissis could consider it a possible idea because he was a long-time friend of both her and her sister. He believed that he could exploit her love for her sister, knowing how deeply Riette cared for her.

Affection.

It was the most precious thing she possessed. That was why she couldn’t forgive the man in front of her even more.

“Your Highness is the one who ignored my last warning and squandered the opportunity. I’m now your eternal enemy. Know that I won’t play into your hands out of fear!”

“Don’t be so quick to abandon me. It would be better for you as well.”

Narkissis sneered, leaning his elbow on the driver’s seat door and resting his chin on his hand.

“If you leave, I’ll die. Me.”

He then shifted his gaze and glanced up at the glittering sunlight.

It was a clear sky, Chalonné’s summer.

He visited Chalonné every summer without fail. It was always vivid and gentle, a land untouched by grayness, a pristine summer.

“What do you think would happen if Prince Helios dies within the borders of Chalonné? If Bea wears the red wedding dress, at least your sister will remember me forever.”

If he couldn’t seize the position of the crown prince, he would rather turn Chalonné into water and die. It was an immense threat, saying that if her family weren’t enough, he would even take the country hostage. With the presence of the Grand Duke, she was able to somehow defend against Narkissis’s threats… but could she possibly evade the bullets aimed directly at her head?

Even if it remained unresolved, her sister’s marriage would undoubtedly be thrown into disarray.

“Get in, Lariette. I’m sure you understood my words.”

“….”

Her hands clad in silk gloves clenched into tight fists, Riette grappled with her inner turmoil.

She knew she should ignore it.

She understood that very well… but the recent act of terrorism had lent weight to Narkissis’s threats, making it impossible for her to simply dismiss them. She couldn’t gamble with the life of her beloved niece, whom her sister cherished more than anything in the world.

In the end, she reluctantly turned her body and settled into the passenger seat.

A satisfied smile played on Narkissis’s lips as he reveled in the gentle breeze, humming a short tune. The situation seemed very satisfying to him. With a powerful roar from the formidable engine, the vehicle lurched forward, its wheels gripping the dirt ground as it set off…

Screeceh!

“Kkyaaak!”

Abruptly, the brakes were slammed. As her body jerked forward, a startled cry escaped Riette’s lips as she instinctively grasped onto the handrail of the passenger seat. Narkissis, too, swiftly withdrew his hand that had been resting on the steering wheel.

The limousine came to an immediate halt, unable to advance even a single meter, as it was obstructed by a towering, ominous figure.

The driver’s seat was shrouded in a long, dark shadow.

Riette’s eyes widened as she raised her head. She could smell the unmistakable musky scent permeating the air.

Neighh!

The towering, black hooves of the colossal, menacing black steed and the horse’s powerful muscles dominated the entire field of view. The muscles of the warhorse, which rose like a mountain, rippled with strength.

A strong man’s arm, which harnessed the horse’s power and defied gravity.

It was him.

Kaisaros Acheron.

The piercing sound of ringing reverberated in her ears.

His silhouette, silhouetted against the radiant morning sun, resembled that of a knight straight out of an ancient tale of heroes—a figure both gallant and stunning who vied for honor and abided by the divine will. His arm muscles tensed as he firmly grasped the reins. With his ebony locks cascading around him, his piercing sapphire eyes, illuminated by the sun’s golden rays, bore down upon Narkissis with an unwavering intensity akin to that of a resolute deity.

Thump!

As the massive legs of the beast struck the ground right in front of the vehicle, dust rose like a mist.

“….!”

Unusually, his black hair was disheveled, cascading in wild strands, while the glimmering threads from the medals adorning his uniform dazzled the eyes as they pierced through the sunlight. The black uniform draped over his well-trained physique appeared as impenetrable as the armor of a chivalrous knight.

As his gaze fixed upon Narkissis, his countenance took on the likeness of cold steel—a visage devoid of life and mercy, resembling a ruthless weapon. His piercing eyes bore the weight of prejudice, resembling that of a predatory beast sensing an impending threat, a gaze far removed from the casual lean against the pergola moments ago.

There were no words, or rather, he didn’t say a single word to Narkissis.

Like a vigilant hunting dog, pointing with unwavering focus at its quarry, he shifted his gaze towards Riette and softly uttered.

“I’ll escort you, Princess.”

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