WDEDLF-Chapter 130

“What the hell is going on?”

 

Abel muttered, looking around the shaking room fearfully.

 

After kidnapping Elaine and draining her of her magical powers, Malek kept Abel locked in his room as if he had completely abandoned him.

 

Today, the third day since then, the outside, which had been quiet until then, seemed to be busy since the morning, and the palace building started shaking earlier.

 

It seemed like something was happening in the main palace, but no matter how much he looked out the window, he couldn’t see what was going on, which only added to his frustration.

 

Just then, his door opened wide.

 

“uh?”

 

Abel couldn’t help but make a stupid sound.

 

Because the people who entered the room were not Sasha or Malek, but people he had never seen before.

 

However, he recognized the man leading them.

 

‘That person is definitely the one who came with lady Elaine….’

 

He was the man who followed Elaine like a guardian when Malek used Lark to call Elaine into his living room.

 

Abel didn’t remember much of their conversation because Malek had such strong control over him at the time, but he distinctly recalled that this man, Hubert, had tried to protect Elaine.

 

‘I didn’t think Malek would just let that man go unharmed…’

 

Abel frowned as he recalled the memory he had when he was under Malek’s control, but the other person introduced himself politely first.

 

“I believe someone else received my greeting last time, so let me introduce myself again. My name is Hubert Lowell, the butler of the Count of Lindell.”

 

“The butler of the Lindell family? Then you’re… connected to Sergey Lindell!”

 

“I heard that our master had already informed you, your Highness.”

 

Abel nodded vigorously.

 

How could he forget Sergey, who had promised to get him out of that prison when the time came and told him to strike Malek and Sasha from behind when that day arrived?

 

“I will send my people to you that day. Escape with them.”

 

Abel remembered Sergey’s words.

 

He had wondered what kind of people Sergey would send, considering Sergey himself wasn’t human, but these people all looked like ordinary humans.

 

“Are… are you all human…?”

 

At Abel’s hesitant question, Hubert chuckled softly.

 

“Our master appears to be quite the convincing human on the outside as well.”

 

“That means….”

 

Abel looked around at them with fearful eyes.

 

They looked like kind, regular servants, differing in age and gender.

 

But if he thought about it, there was no way an ordinary person could enter that room. Not only was it surrounded by a magic barrier, but there were also soldiers scattered all around.

 

Instead of answering Abel’s question, Hubert brought up urgent matters.

 

“There’s no time for that now. That damned dragon bastard, Malek—ah, forgive my crude language—anyway, that bastard has imprisoned the Crown Princess and is holding an unauthorized noble council with Marquise Haberon. They’re about to announce that you will be crowned Crown Prince.”

 

“What? Is my sister Anais okay?”

 

“It’s up to us to ensure her safety. From the moment you leave this room, you must act as the prince that Malek was controlling. Don’t flinch and give orders confidently. Do you understand?”

 

Abel swallowed hard and nodded again.

 

Ever since Sergey told him the scenario for the day, Abel had been secretly practicing how to behave like Malek.

 

“I can do it!”

 

“Good. Let’s go.”

 

Hubert led Abel out of his room.

 

The soldiers who had been guarding the door were all lying unconscious on the ground, and the prince’s palace, where not even a single ant could be seen, was extremely quiet.

 

The sound of Abel’s shoes echoed in the quiet hallway.

 

“Ah….”

 

It was the first time he had stepped outside the room without being under Malek’s control.

 

Abel quickly covered his mouth as the various emotions welling up inside him threatened to spill out.

 

“Ugh….”

 

He leaned against the pillar in the hallway and tried hard not to cry.

 

He swallowed his tears repeatedly, but his eyes still reddened, and he couldn’t help but sniffle.

 

“Uh, I’m sorry.”

 

“It’s okay. We have a little bit of free time, so just relax.”

 

Thanks to Hubert’s consideration, Abel took several deep breaths, calming his trembling body.

 

‘I shouldn’t be crying like an idiot here. My sister is in danger.’

 

He took one last deep breath and took a step forward.

 

“Let’s go.”

 

The helpless and despairing prince was no more.

 

He straightened his shoulders and back, tucked his chin in, and strained his eyes.

 

‘Keep your fists loose, walk confidently. Slightly narrow the eyes, curve the lips softly into an arrogant smile.’

 

Just as he had practiced, Abel became Malek.

 

Then he headed straight to the Crown Princess’ Palace.

 

It seemed that Sasha had already taken control of the palace, and everyone who encountered Abel bowed respectfully and made way for him.

 

Careful not to appear too rushed, Abel arrived at Anais’s room.

 

As Hubert had said, the entrance was heavily guarded by armed knights and guards.

 

“Ah! Your Highness the Crown Prince!”

 

The nobles’ meeting was probably still in progress, but one of the knights who seemed to be in charge came running over to Abel, calling him crown prince.

 

“What brings you here?”

 

“I came to get Anais. Open the door.”

 

“Huh? Uh….But her Majesty the Empress has ordered that no one be allowed in or out today…”

 

At the mention of Her Majesty the Empress, Abel gritted his teeth.

 

The late Empress had welcomed him more warmly than his own mother. Memories of Sasha and Malek poisoning her, while he stood powerless to stop them, flooded his mind, leaving him breathless.

 

At that moment, Hubert clicked his tongue and replied.

 

“Do you not understand what it means that His Highness has personally come to escort Her Highness Anais?”

 

“I-I….But who are you…”

 

“Tsk. How frustrating. Your Highness, what shall we do?”

 

Abel, who had come to his senses at Hubert’s call, said with his expression hardened and his voice low, just as Malek did when creating an atmosphere of fear.

 

“Open. The door.”

 

“Y-Yes, sir!”

 

The knight ordered the guards guarding Anais’s room to open the door quickly, and Abel led the servants of Count Lindell into Anais’s room.

 

Then he kicked out the knight who was trying to follow him in and closed the door.

 

Anais, sitting alone without even a maid by her side, turned her head calmly to meet Abel’s gaze, showing no sign of fear.

 

“Sister.”

 

Abel’s voice trembled as he called out to her. It was the first time he addressed Anais as ‘sister’ of his own voice.

 

But Anais’ eyes were cold.

 

“Sister? Have you ever thought of me as your sister, even for a moment?”

 

At her icy words, Abel’s eyes quickly filled with tears.

 

He approached her quietly and knelt on one knee, looking up at her.

 

“I always have. You and the late Empress were the only ones who could sustain me.”

 

“How dare you even mention my mother?”

 

Anais’s voice became sharper.

 

Abel realized that Anais knew everything about the Empress’s death.

 

Though it wasn’t his doing, he couldn’t deny his involvement in that absurd situation. Abel decided he would accept whatever punishment Anais deemed fit.

 

But now was not the time to be discussing that.

 

“Sister, you don’t have to forgive me. But please allow me to help you right now. You have to get out of here.”

 

“What are you up to this time?”

 

When Anais slapped Abel’s outstretched hand away, Hubert stepped forward.

 

“Your Highness Anais. My name is Hubert Lowell, the butler of the Count of Lindell.”

 

“Why is Count Lindell’s butler with Abel? Sergey Lindell, has he betrayed me?”

 

“Of course not. We’re here to help you escape. There’s no time to explain everything, so forgive the rudeness, but I must briefly touch your head.”

 

Hubert placed his hand on Anais’s head and opened the third eye on his forehead.

 

The moment Anais saw that eye, she instantly understood the situation.

 

She realized that it hadn’t been Abel controlling his body all this time, but a dragon called Malek. That Malek and Sasha conspired to poison the late Empress and manipulate the Emperor. That Sergey Lindell wasn’t human and was the only one capable of opposing Malek. And that Sergey’s only weakness was now imprisoned in Sasha’s villa.

 

“uhuk! Uhuk!”

 

Anais, who had been forced to take in too much shocking information in an instant, stumbled and coughed when Hubert withdrew his hand.

 

“Sister!”

 

When Abel grabbed her, Anais tried to slap his hand away, but then stopped herself.

 

“Then…you are Abel?”

 

“Yes….I’m the real Abel.”

 

“Sasha gave your infant soul to that demonic dragon….?”

 

Abel nodded.

 

“Unbelievable….How could a mother throw her own child into hell…!”

 

Anais cupped Abel’s face with trembling hands, and finally, Abel let the tears he had held back pour out.

 

“Uhhh, sister! Sister!”

 

“Abel….Oh my god, how did you endure all of this?”

 

“I…I couldn’t protect the Empress… Huh…I’m so sorry…I’m truly sorry.”

 

Abel knelt on both knees, clasped his hands together in apology, then lowered himself to the floor, bowing deeply.

 

Anais held back her tears and lifted Abel up.

 

“It wasn’t your fault. You must have suffered so much.”

 

If Hubert hadn’t pictured the whole situation in her mind, it would have taken her a long time to believe in Abel. 

 

Just imagining how much more broken Abel’s heart would have been if that were the case made her shudder.

 

Comforting Abel, Anais turned her gaze to Hubert and the others standing behind him.

 

“You guys too…are not human.”

 

“We’ve served Master Sergey for a long time. Most of us are demons with nowhere else to go.”

 

“Demons….”

 

Anais’s eyes scanned the faces of the Lindell family’s servants.

 

Hubert met her gaze with a calm smile.

 

“Well, I will have a chance to explain the details later. Right now, we need to rescue our master’s weakness.”

 

“You mean lady Elaine Newt? Where is she being held?”

 

“It’s in the Poinstera Forest on the outskirts of the capital. It seems to be where Marquise Haberon goes whenever she’s up to some dirty business.”

 

“You figured that out quickly.”

 

“Our master isn’t an ordinary person, after all.”

 

Hubert shook his head as he recalled how Sergey had searched through all the memories of birds flying over the capital to find out the location.

 

“Why a bird?”

 

“Then should we kidnap Sasha and the people around the palace? If they realized what we were doing and moved Elaine again, we’d be in more trouble.”

 

“But still….”

 

“Besides, human memories are too easily corrupted. However, birds are simpler than humans, so their memories are less corrupted. Birds are better at obtaining information.”

 

As he spoke, Sergey used his magic to summon the birds within the capital.

 

It sounded simple enough, but combing through the hazy memories of thousands, even tens of thousands of birds, to find suspicious behavior from Sasha or Abel was more reckless than finding a ring in the desert.

 

It was a method that no one would dare even think of trying unless they were a dragon, but Sergey poured in an incredible amount of magical power to find Elaine and eventually found the place.

 

The downside to that ignorant method was that he couldn’t attack the villa right away because he had almost exhausted his magic power.

 

Anais, who had been nodding quietly, stood up from her seat and extended her hand to Abel.

 

“Let’s go, Abel.”

 

“Sister…!”

 

“There’s no time to cry. Let’s go and fix everything wrong.”

 

“Yes!”

 

Abel wiped his tears, nodded, and took Anais’s hand.

 

For the first time, Abel felt the happiness of being the true master of his own body, while also embracing an unwavering will to live—something he had never truly felt since the day he was born.

 

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