The Survival Strategy of the Contract Duchess - Chapter 69

“I dealt with his temper all day yesterday.”

When Dylan added his comment from behind, Lydian widened his eyes, then laughed aloud.

“Dylan always suffers the most, doesn’t he? You might be the one keeping me sane.”

“I appreciate the sentiment, Your Majesty.”

Even as they joked around him, Kyler didn’t react. He simply blinked his eyes, calm and silent. Watching his blue eyes slowly turn colder, Lydian realized he might have gone too far. The emperor caught his fading smile and straightened up again.

“Anyway, is it true a monster attacked? What exactly happened?”

“I was going to explain, but forget it. I’ll be exterminating the monsters.”

Kyler let out a deep sigh, swallowed the explanation, and raised his voice again.

Dylan shook his head quietly from behind. Lydian’s expression hardened once more.

Kyler was usually calm and composed. But when the noise in his ears became unbearable, he could grow sharp and unstable. Ever since Sasha appeared, that hadn’t happened again—until now. Since she was attacked, he had become even more volatile, almost hysterical.

He seemed like a different person altogether. Lydian noticed the change and briefly turned his gaze toward Dylan. Dylan responded with another sigh.

“The Duke and Duchess went to the Uhalin Forest, and a monster appeared. The Duke managed to kill it, but as he turned to leave, another one showed up and went after the Duchess.”

It had taken a while even for Dylan to hear the full story from Kyler. It had clearly been painful for him to speak about, and he had nearly burst a vein trying to force the words out.

Lydian leaned forward in his seat, the lightness in his posture disappearing completely. He understood what the story must have meant to Kyler.

“That must have been hard for you.”

Dylan nodded behind him.

“Thankfully, the second one didn’t attack right away. The Duke managed to get to it just in time. But while the monster was thrashing after being stabbed, its wing struck the Duchess’s left arm and threw her a distance. Her arm was fractured, but she’s otherwise safe.”

That was all Dylan had to say. Lydian frowned as he glanced between Dylan and Kyler. He hadn’t known why Kyler had looked so drained earlier, but now it made perfect sense.

“Monsters weren’t supposed to appear that far down.”

Lydian’s voice dropped a tone. His playful smile vanished, and he leaned forward with sharp eyes fixed on Kyler.

“Monsters were supposed to stay within the mountain range. Geranel’s control was limited to that area. If they’ve come out beyond that, even just for one day, it’s a serious problem.”

The more Kyler spoke, the more grim his tone became. Dylan nodded quietly behind him.

If this was a new phenomenon, then it posed a danger not only to nearby villages but to the entire Empire. If it was a one-time incident, then someone had deliberately targeted the Duke and Duchess. Either way, it couldn’t be overlooked.

“I understand now why you were shouting about exterminating monsters.”

Lydian blinked slowly, his expression serious. If it was a new threat to the Empire, he had to address it. If it was a personal attack on Kyler and Sasha, then he needed to act swiftly and find the one responsible.

Kyler’s cold eyes met Lydian’s without flinching.

“Until now, I only dealt with the monsters when they appeared before me. I kept the noise bearable. But I can’t ignore it anymore.”

Lydian could tell by the fire in Kyler’s eyes that he was truly angry.

“I see. So?”

But exterminating monsters wasn’t a simple task. If it had been, Kyler would have taken care of them long ago to rid himself of their horrible noise. That he hadn’t was proof of how difficult and unsolved this problem was.

No one knew exactly where monsters came from. Some said they crossed over from another dimension. Others thought they were being spawned from something deep within the world—like a queen bee in a hive. No one had discovered the truth.

“I’ll begin the extermination.”

“I see.”

“I don’t mean I’ll sit in the mountains and kill whatever appears in front of me. That’s a waste of time.”

Lydian understood. Then what did Kyler mean? Why was he saying this now, here, directly to the Emperor?

“I’ll eliminate them completely, even if it takes time. But to do that, I need your help, Your Majesty.”

That was what Kyler had come to say.

For him to speak so intensely, to raise his voice, to show his feelings like this—this was something Lydian had only seen once or twice before.

Lydian had once thought, in his youthful ignorance, that Kyler had lost his sanity after the accident that took his parents. Kyler had always been quiet, but afterward, he had become like a doll that only breathed and did nothing else.

“Well, there’s no need to ask permission for something like this. If we leave it alone, the monsters might attack our citizens. I can’t sit back as emperor and let that happen.”

Lydian responded casually, full of confidence, as if there was nothing he couldn’t handle. Maybe it was because of that nature that he and Kyler worked so well together. They complemented each other perfectly.

And since Lydian had very few limits in what he could do as emperor, he was the most important person Kyler could rely on.

“What we need to do now, unfortunately, is find the cause of the monsters’ appearance and figure out how to stop it.”

Kyler spoke through clenched teeth. He wanted nothing more than to go out and strike them down with his sword, but wasting time on that wouldn’t solve the core problem. He had to bottle up his frustration.

“Leave that to me. Whoever might know anything about it, I’ll gather them. I’ll have them research and dig until they find answers. I can’t promise how long it’ll take, but I promise we’ll do everything we can.”

The fact that the only thing Lydian could offer now was a promise did bother him a little. As emperor, he could do nearly anything. But in this moment, he couldn’t give Kyler the direct solution he needed.

Unless it was something within his own power, even Lydian needed time.

“Thank you, Your Majesty. I knew you would take action.”

Kyler, who had been sharp and serious, softened for a moment and let a faint smile show at the emperor’s unwavering response.

This was the reason he had come. To extend his reach where he couldn’t go alone. To ask the one person who could make things move faster than anyone else.

This time, he was ready to give everything he had to wipe them out completely.

And maybe, just maybe, once the monsters were gone, the noise in his ears would disappear too. Or at least lessen. It was a hope he held onto quietly.

“No need for all the formal thanks. You’re making me shy. You and I go way back. This kind of thing is natural.”

Lydian smiled with satisfaction and leaned back comfortably in his chair.

Kyler’s urgency didn’t come just from the fact that monsters were starting to pose a more direct threat. The other reason was the sound still ringing in his ears.

He remembered Sasha’s smile as she asked to go out together. It had caught him off guard. Her eyes had looked at him a little differently than before. He had noticed.

Spending time with her outside of the mansion had seemed like something special. A way to focus on each other in a different setting. Something beyond their usual routines. That alone had made him excited.

When she had mentioned the Uhalin Forest, he had hesitated. It connected directly to the monster-infested mountains. Still, he had been too relaxed. That was his mistake.

What good was carrying a sword, when the whole time, he had never let go of her hand?

He had cut himself off from the very power that could protect her. Just because it was painful. Just because it was tiring.

If he hadn’t been holding her hand during that walk, maybe he would have sensed the monster’s approach. Maybe he would have noticed the second one flying toward them at terrifying speed.

It had been his fault.

Kyler clenched his jaw again. The muscles in his face tensed so tightly that the bones stood out, and the veins in his neck strained. He clasped his hands tightly together. His large, rough palms pressed against each other.

He felt as though he might never hold that soft, delicate hand again.

Kyler shut his eyes tightly, trying to keep the pain from overwhelming him.

Support