After Putting the Slayer of the Night to Sleep, I Ran Away - Chapter 32

More than five minutes had passed, and Marcus still had not arrived. Growing uneasy, Dex turned to Leo and asked quietly,

“Are you really going to leave after exactly ten minutes?”

“Why would I say that if I did not mean it?”

“Well, maybe leaving would be the better option anyway.”

It was probably smarter to walk away than risk a violent scene just because someone made them wait.

As Dex nodded to himself, Leo spoke again.

“He is coming.”

Leo looked completely relaxed, almost like a cat sunbathing. Dex shook his head at the sight.

Leo was half reclining in his seat, his chin propped up on his hand, as if he were in his own home. His posture and attitude were completely inappropriate for a guest.

Dex hesitated, wondering if he should say something. But before he could decide, the door opened wide and Marcus walked in.

“Well, you finally made it.”

Leo’s greeting almost sounded friendly. To someone unfamiliar with the situation, it might have seemed sincere. Marcus, however, looked as if he had just stepped in something unpleasant. His eyebrows twitched with irritation.

“So, this is the day I see His Highness the First Prince in my own home.”

“Imagine that.”

“I was not expecting visitors, so my attire is informal. I assume you will understand.”

“Seeing the duke dressed so casually brings back a lot of feelings. Who would have thought we would end up here? Do you agree?”

Leo gave a small smile and gestured to the seat across from him, acting as if he were the host.

“Please, sit down, Duke. I do not plan to stay long. I am not a patient man.”

The room fell into an awkward silence before Leo spoke again, his tone far too casual for the moment.

“I am sure you already know, but I will make it official. I am planning to get married.”

“Why my daughter? What is the reason?”

“As expected, we really are tied together in strange ways.”

Leo let out a soft laugh, as if talking to himself. But his expression quickly turned serious and cold.

“That is exactly what I came to explain. I thought you would want to know.”

He straightened his posture, his red eyes sharpening with intensity.

“Duke, if you take something that belongs to someone else, you should be prepared to lose something as well.”

Marcus stayed silent.

“You claim you care deeply about your second daughter. That story made its way all the way to the North.”

Now realizing what Leo was trying to say, Marcus’s expression hardened.

Leo gave a quiet, satisfied smile and continued.

“The young lady will stay with me until the wedding. The ceremony she was supposed to have with that tall fool will now be with me. Publicly, I am the one who has fallen in love with her.”

As if he had said everything he needed to, Leo stood up. His expression sharpened again as he asked a pointed question.

“Was it not you who added that extra clause to the subjugation contract? Were you planning to plant a spy through marriage?”

“That was something decided by the noble council.”

“Whatever the case, this works out perfectly. Now I can keep your daughter by my side without having to ask anyone for permission. You tell me, is there a better opportunity than that?”

Shortly after Leo left, Marcus sat alone, his face filled with conflict and confusion.

“What is he really thinking?”

Putting together everything Leo had said and done, it seemed clear that the prince was trying to take his precious daughter away under the name of marriage.

Perhaps Leo was trying to drive a wedge between father and daughter, to ruin their bond. Or maybe he wanted to use Ayla as a way to keep an eye on him.

It was even possible that the First Prince saw this as revenge.

“Whatever it is, he clearly does not mean it sincerely.”

It all seemed like a plan to make Marcus suffer. That much was obvious.

And the most ridiculous part of it all was that Leo had no idea Ayla was not even his real daughter.

Thinking about it left Marcus stunned. But in a strange way, it also made him want to laugh.

“Ha. Did he really think he could control me with just a child?”

He was young and foolish.

They called him the Butcher of the Night and whispered all sorts of things, but was this all he amounted to?

“Well, I suppose it shows. You can always tell when someone is uneducated.”

What could a man banished to the North have possibly learned?

All he knew was how to swing a sword, yet he had the nerve to speak so casually, as if being born royal made up for everything.

Compared to someone like him, Ayla was wasted.

She may not have been of his blood, but she had been raised by his hand, educated properly, and taught to carry herself with grace. No matter where she went, she stood out for her beauty and cleverness.

What a shame.

Marcus furrowed his brow without realizing it, then quickly shook his head. This was exactly what the First Prince wanted.

What nonsense.

Ayla was not his biological daughter. That meant Leo’s supposed revenge had no foundation to begin with. It was a pointless act from someone who did not even know the full truth.

And besides, Marcus was an Everett.

Now more than ever, he needed to stay calm. In times like this, keeping a cool head was the key to minimizing loss and maximizing gain.

He closed his eyes and began weighing the benefits and drawbacks.

Just then, a soft knock came at the door, followed by the voice of his wife, Claudia.

“Can we talk?”

“Come in.”

With his permission, the door opened and Claudia stepped inside.

Her thick red hair was elegantly pinned up, and even in her forties, she carried herself with striking beauty.

“What is it?”

“I heard the First Prince came by. What did he say?”

“You did not seem interested yesterday. But now you are?”

“I would appreciate it if you did not make assumptions. Yesterday, you looked no different from me, so I simply chose not to ask.”

Her cold reply made Marcus let out a bitter smile inwardly.

She was still as sharp as ever.

Perhaps that was why she remained a central figure in the social scene. Still, the more time passed, the harder she became to deal with. His voice turned curt.

“He said he is going through with it. With your precious daughter, no less.”

“And?”

“You were there, were you not? The emperor announced it in public. He gave his approval. What more is there to say?”

“Fine. So you have no objections either, correct? I will handle the rest with the steward.”

Marcus watched her coldly turn away. He clicked his tongue and shook his head.

She was a strong-willed woman, that much was certain.

Ayla might not have been his biological daughter, but to Claudia, she was the child she had carried and given birth to.

Claudia surely knew what kind of weight the First Prince’s name carried when tied to the Everetts.

With a weary expression, Marcus rubbed the space between his brows, then let out a long sigh as his eyes drifted toward the contract spread out on his desk.

It was the marriage agreement he had drawn up with Count Esteban, between Rodrigo and Ayla.

“What a waste.”

Still, he could not possibly send Shuelle into a match of this level.

Clicking his tongue again, Marcus closed the contract.

He might not yet know exactly what the First Prince wanted, but he had no intention of letting this go unanswered.

When Leo arrived at the townhouse and stepped out of the carriage, he heard a sound he was not used to. It was laughter.

He changed direction without a second thought.

With Dex following close behind, Leo walked around to the back garden of the estate. There, he saw three women gathered around an outdoor table, laughing and chatting warmly.

“This is unbelievable,” he muttered.

At the center of the group was Ayla, smiling brightly. Leo could hardly believe his eyes.

She was the very person who had been sent away to Marcus Everett’s estate. And yet, here she was, sitting comfortably, laughing and drinking tea as if none of that had happened.

“It looks good,” Dex said with a pleased tone.

“This house was always full of stiff, grim men. Now it finally has some life in it.”

“Life, you say? Who is the young lady sitting next to the Shaan woman?”

“That’s Lady Vivian from the House of Helios. She seems to be close friends with Lady Ayla.”

“She really acts like this is her own house. Inviting friends already.”

Leo sounded amused, not angry. There was no sharpness in his voice.

“Are you sure it is alright not to send her back? Duke Marcus didn’t look happy at all.”

“I gave him a few carefully chosen words. He is the kind of man who cares too much about appearances. He will manage things on his own. By tomorrow, the reason she is staying here will be the talk of the capital.”

“And what about the wedding that is supposed to happen next month?”

“Why worry about that? Just take over when the time comes.”

Dex let out a long sigh.

“Are you really planning to marry her? Don’t you think this is all happening too fast?”

“The table is already set. Why let it go to waste when all I have to do is pick up the fork?”

Dex gave him a tired look.

“You are impossible. Who could ever stop you?”

Leo smiled faintly.

“Then stop trying.”

“I am warning you now. If this goes badly, I won’t be there to help you.”

“Suit yourself.”

Dex grumbled as he walked away.

Leo stayed behind, watching Ayla for a moment longer. Just as he was about to turn to leave, something brushed lightly against his leg.

“A cat?”

“Meow.”

A black cat had approached him without him noticing. It rubbed its head gently against his leg, then looked up at him with bright green eyes and let out a soft, mournful cry.

Leo stood frozen in place.

Ever since he had been cursed with his power, no animal had ever come near him. They all sensed something and ran away.

This was the first time one had willingly approached him.

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