IBACM Chapter 81

Chapter 81

“Isn’t this a monster?”

Somerset grimaced in disgust, but Delani chuckled.

“Even better. Secretly raising a monster in the Grand Duke’s castle? That’s enough to make the Aulus family head lose his mind.”

Her eyes darkened as she clenched her fists.

“This thing has been mocking me from the shadows all this time?”

The more she thought about it, the angrier she became.

Grinding his teeth, Somerset grabbed the wardrobe door.

“Let’s see how you like it!”

With a powerful yank, he ripped off the wardrobe door.

Splat! Blood gushed out, staining the floor.

“That’s enough, Somerset. This will do.”

Delani turned to Gemma .

“Gemma , slap my face.”

Gemma ‘s face twisted with distress.

“M-Madam… I can’t do that. Please, don’t make me…”

“Fine.”

Without hesitation, Delani punched herself in the face. Her lip split, blood dripping down her chin.

“Now, let’s wait for our main guest.”

She smiled as she looked at the motionless, blood-soaked figure that Gemma still held tightly.

Thud!

“Ugh….”

Dedrick staggered, sweat dripping from his pale face.

Jacob quickly lowered his sword, concern flashing in his eyes.

“Young Master, that’s enough for today. You don’t look well.”

Dedrick wavered, unable to stand properly.

The training wasn’t any different from usual, yet his body felt heavy, like it was drowning.

His stomach churned, and his heart pounded uncomfortably fast.

In the end, Dedrick nodded, sheathing his sword. He stepped down from the training platform, unsteady on his feet.

Jacob couldn’t hold back anymore and moved to support him.

“Let me help you.”

“No. I’m fine.”

Dedrick firmly rejected the offer, wiping the sweat from his chin with the back of his hand.

‘What’s wrong with my body today?’

Everything felt off.

He had been fine until dawn.

Then, a thought struck him.

‘Is Mary okay?’

He had planned to move the wardrobe outside before the Grand Duchess could intervene. But there were no servants he could trust to follow his orders.

Jacob or Hogan could help, but there was nowhere safe to store it.

‘I should contact Perez.’

The imperial palace was the only place where the Grand Duchess had no power.

Dedrick hated the idea.

Perez clearly liked Marilyn, and that bothered him.

But now wasn’t the time to be petty. Marilyn’s safety came first.

As Dedrick climbed the stairs to the main building, his expression hardened.

‘Once I secure my position—’

Then, suddenly—

A metallic scent hit his nose.

His footsteps froze.

The hallway was eerily quiet, colder than usual.

A chilling sensation ran down his spine.

All color drained from Dedrick’s face.

Without thinking, he ran.

By the time he reached his room, sweat drenched his back. His chest rose and fell with ragged breaths.

Standing before the door, his pupils trembled violently.

There were people inside.

Someone was in his room.

He clenched his sword tightly and threw the door open.

“Oh my, you’re here.”

A woman’s playful voice.

And then—

His vision filled with blood-stained footprints, a destroyed wardrobe, and Marilyn—motionless, covered in blood, her hair gripped by Delani.

Dedrick stopped breathing.

His body swayed.

His legs nearly gave out, but he forced himself to step forward toward Marilyn.

“…Mary?”

No response.

She was covered in wounds.

Not just from the broken wardrobe—someone had deliberately hurt her.

“M-Mary. Mary…!”

There was no point in hiding her anymore.

If she were awake, she would have told him to pretend not to care.

But he couldn’t.

His everything was dying in front of him.

His mind snapped.

“MARY!”

His throat tore from the scream as he rushed forward—but Somerset blocked his way.

Bloodlust filled Dedrick’s eyes.

Without hesitation, he drew his sword and swung.

But—

“Do you want this monster to die?”

Delani’s voice cut through the air.

The tip of Dedrick’s sword stopped just before Somerset’s throat.

A single drop of blood trickled down Somerset’s neck.

Realizing how close he was to death, Somerset’s legs gave out.

Dedrick turned his murderous glare to Delani.

His voice was ice.

“Let. Go. Of. Her.”

But Delani smirked.

“Did Amelia leave you a guardian spirit? I should have known when the Grand Duke personally delivered this wardrobe to you.”

She sneered and slammed the wardrobe with her hammer.

Marilyn vomited blood.

“Cough….”

“LET GO OF HER!”

Dedrick lunged, gripping Delani’s throat.

As Marilyn’s body fell to the floor, he immediately let go of Delani and rushed to her side.

“Ack—!”

Delani gasped, coughing, as pain throbbed in her neck.

But Dedrick didn’t even glance at her.

Instead, he gently lifted Marilyn’s frail body.

“Mary, open your eyes.”

Her long eyelashes trembled.

Her fading golden eyes met his.

Seeing him, her face twisted in pain.

With trembling hands, she grasped his clothes and sobbed.

“D-Don’t… Don’t do anything… Didi, please… Don’t fall for it…”

Even in this state, she worried about him.

Dedrick’s heart shattered.

“We can fix this again. Just—please. Don’t close your eyes.”

“I’m begging you.”

“You’ve always granted my wishes before… So please… this time too.”

Delani, supported by Gemma, sneered as she watched Dedrick sobbing so hard that his shoulders shook.

“You can’t fix it. I’m going to completely destroy that wardrobe!”

In an instant, Delani lunged at him.

At the same time, Dedrick drew his sword and pointed it at her neck, the tip piercing her skin.

Delani froze in place. Dedrick, his eyes bloodshot, shouted angrily.

“Don’t come any closer! Get out of my room right now!”

“And if I refuse? Are you going to kill me?”

Dedrick let out a twisted, tearful laugh.

“I just might.”

“Please, Didi…”

Marilyn grabbed his arm and pleaded in a choked voice, but Dedrick only tightened his grip around her.

“Mary, it’s over. There’s nothing we can do anymore.”

“Didi…”

“I can never forgive that woman for what she did to you.”

Marilyn desperately pulled at his sleeve, but he didn’t move. She called out to him in desperation.

“Didi!”

But just as Dedrick’s sword was about to pierce Delani’s throat—

Someone pushed Delani aside and blocked his path.

“…Young Master, get a hold of yourself!”

It was Jacob.

“Move.”

“Young Master!”

Jacob urgently grabbed Dedrick’s wrist, stopping him.

“What is all this…?”

But before Jacob could finish his sentence—

“What do you all think you’re doing!”

A thunderous voice filled the room.

An old man entered, his eyes burning with anger as he looked at Dedrick and the crying Delani on the floor.

“How… how could you do this to me? No matter how much you hate me, I am still your mother!”

Hearing Delani’s pitiful sobs, the head of House Aulus glared at Dedrick with contempt.

“Hah! I knew this would happen. Not only were you born from a lowly woman, but your actions are just as disgraceful! Do you not even know what is right and wrong? How dare you raise a hand against someone!”

Despite the old man’s scolding, Dedrick’s murderous gaze remained fixed on Delani. He looked as if he would attack at any moment, and Jacob hurried to restrain him.

“Young Master, please calm down!”

“Move. Now that I’ve been caught—”

Before he could finish saying he would kill them all, Marilyn’s blood-stained hands grabbed onto him.

“Don’t do this, please…”

Tears streamed down Marilyn’s face as she spoke with regret.

“I just want to protect you… Please, let me do that. I don’t want you to be ruined because of me…”

“…”

Clang.

At her desperate plea, Dedrick finally dropped his sword. Tears dripped from his eyes.

“Then what am I supposed to do…? Just stand by and watch as you suffer like this?”

“Young Master…”

Although Delani had been the one in danger, Jacob could see that Dedrick was the one in greater pain. He looked as if he was breaking apart, his agony so deep it hurt to even witness it.

Dedrick clung tightly to someone, sobbing.

It was only then that Jacob noticed the bloodstains floating in the air.

‘What on earth is that…’

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• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •By Freya• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •

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Advance chapters of this novel are available of my kofi channel

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