# 17 -
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“If you were able to truly see the darkness in my heart, you would know that you shouldn’t act this way now.”
That desire that Seret had awakened made Yuan's throat go dry.
His gaze at her held a dangerous hunger, repressed lust burning in his eyes as he stared down at her from above.
His eyes wandered from her eyes to her nose, then stopped for a long time at her full, red lips.
Seret stared at Yuan with eyes slanted upward, a rebellious look that reminded him of that moment when she smashed the vase on his head.
“Do you intend to kill me?”
Her voice came out as sharp as a sword, but despite her cold words, Yuan's mind was occupied with other thoughts.
“It's not that difficult to kill an innocent woman who knows nothing, is it, Duke Frecktwister?”
Yuan frowned slightly, wondering: What is this woman saying with her innocent face?
Since the day she threw the vase, Seret started making these strange sentences every now and then.
He found her surprising, amusing compared to her usual shyness and flushed smiles, and yet she confused him, making him wonder: Was she really serious?
At first he thought she was a woman whose heart could be easily read, but now she is more like a complex maze, in which steps are lost.
“I'm not a monster.” Yuan said in a lost tone.
She replied: “For some people, you are worse than a monster.”
Seret's chin trembled slightly as she said it.
Then I passed him with quick steps. He thought she was running away, so he reached out and grabbed her arm.
When he turned to her, he met her eyes wet with tears, and he let go of her arm in confusion.
She gave him a sharp look and then went towards her room, and the door closed with a soft sound behind her, leaving Yuan alone in the corridor.
He felt a burning pain in his chest.
‘Show me…just once.’
Seret's voice echoed in his mind like a planted stake, but he could not remember when or where he heard that sentence, nor what she wanted to see.
Suddenly, a sharp buzzing sounded in his ear, and the headache intensified until he almost suffocated.
“Huh...”
He pressed his temples and headed to his room.
As soon as he entered, he collapsed on the bed.
The image of her sad face and her trembling voice were constantly running through his head, and as they became clearer, the headache became more severe until it became difficult for him to breathe.
He reached for the summoning bell and pulled it hard.
A servant entered a few moments later.
“Did you summon me, Your Highness the Duke?”
He approached with fear when he saw him sitting leaning against the head of the bed in a miserable state.
“Are you sick?”
“I have a bad headache. Get me some medicine.”
“I'll call Doctor Kane.”
“The medicine is enough.” He answered, waving his hand, denying the need.
“Okay, sir.”
The servant quickly left and returned a few minutes later carrying the medicine. Yuan took it up immediately.
“If the pain does not subside, please tell me, I will call the doctor.”
Yuan nodded that he understood, so the servant bowed his head and left.
Yuan was left alone in the room. He exhaled deeply, and a heavy feeling of exhaustion overwhelmed him, quickly drawing him into a deep sleep.
***
That night, Yuan had a terrible dream—a blood-soaked nightmare.
Maybe it was the medication, or sheer exhaustion, but it was a terrifying nightmare.
Red blood was dripping in the corridor.
Without knowing whose blood it was or why, he followed it with cautious steps.
Traces of blood led him to a room.
He pushed the door ajar and entered.
There was a woman lying on the ground, dark blood pooling around her.
He extended his hand to see her face, but at that moment,
Bang! — A gunshot rang out, and the world around him shook
“Haaa!”
Yuan woke up in a panic, panting and dripping with sweat.
The headache had subsided thanks to the medication, but a faint pulse still beat in his temples.
“Dammit…” he muttered angrily as he sat up.
It was a strange, disturbing dream that had left him in a bad mood since the morning.
Someone knocked on the door.
“Come in.”
The servant entered, staring at him anxiously.
“Are you well, Sir Duke?”
"Yes."
He ran his hand through his hair, which fell on his forehead.
“I feel relieved that nothing is wrong with you.”
The servant approached, holding an envelope stamped with the imperial family's crest in his hand.
“An invitation has arrived from the Imperial Palace.”
Yuan took it without surprise, as if he was expecting it.
At yesterday's ceremony, he submitted two requests to the Crown Prince. One of them is to extend an invitation to him and his fiancée.
“Show it to Miss Enohater.”
He said it without opening the envelope.
“Okay, sir. Shall I make breakfast now?”
“Miss Enohater will have breakfast with me, so prepare food for two.”
“Understood, sir.”
Yuan paused before the servant left.
“But… I will give her the invitation myself.”
He smiled slightly as he looked at the envelope between his fingers. He wanted to see her facial expression for himself.
***
“Another breakfast with him… really.”
Seret sighed annoyed as she knew that Yuan had invited her again to eat with him.
She said to the servant: “Tell him I will come.”
She wanted to refuse, but she held back—this would be the last time, after all.
She went down to the dining hall after she finished preparing, and found Yuan waiting for her.
Last night he seemed angry with her because she left without a word, but now he was smiling as if nothing had happened, which made her even more angry.
“This appears to be my last breakfast in the Duchy of Freaktwister.”
She said coldly.
“It may not be the last.” He answered her with a slight smile, then handed her an envelope.
Her features froze when she saw the imperial family's seal on it. She opened the envelope, to find an invitation from the Crown Prince and Princess to a tea session in the palace tomorrow.
Although the invitation was addressed to Yuan, it singled out Sereret, with the phrase “We hope Miss Sereret Enwhatir will attend.”
She looked at the invitation with a tense face. It was not appropriate to refuse a request from the Crown Prince.
“When is the train?” Yuan asked her, watching her confusion with obvious amusement.
She looked at him with suppressed anger. His sardonic face suggested it was a new trap.
“You seem to be enjoying this.”
“An invitation from His Highness the Crown Prince? Isn’t it natural that I should be pleased?”
He smiled at the corner of his mouth in a way that bothered her, and she tightened the paper in her hand.
“Right… I think so.”
“You will have to stay a few more days, Miss Enohater.”
“So it seems.” She answered him through her teeth.
Yuan laughed softly, amused at seeing her cornered, and began to eat his food comfortably, while she held the fork with suppressed nervousness.
***
Seret ate only a little, then returned to her room and sat down in front of the tea table with a pale face.
She had been planning to return to Mushili, but now she is forced to stay. She didn't want to spend an extra minute near Yuan.
I took a deep breath and got up. Complaining won't change anything. Postponing the cancellation of the engagement for two days will not cause the sky to fall.
"Here! I'm going out."
She opened the door, looking for her maid.
But before she went down the stairs, she heard footsteps.
She turned around and saw Yuan coming out of his office, looking at her.
Her face was frozen in a frown, and the sight of him alone was enough to make her angry.
“Are you going out?” He asked her as he approached with steady steps.
She didn't answer him.
“I will accompany you.”
She raised her eyebrows in surprise. “Accompany me?”
"Yes."
“There is no need for that, Your Highness the Duke.”
“In this case...”
He took her hand and kissed her back with feigned tenderness, while his eyes were hiding something completely different, and then he walked away, leaving her burning with anger.
Hannah arrived at that moment.
“Miss, were you looking for me?”
“Come on, let's go out. Help me get dressed.”
“Now? It's still a long way from the train!”
“We are not leaving today. We have been invited to the Imperial Palace, and we have to stay for two more days.”
"truly?"
Hana's face lit up with joy, as she had always wanted to stay in the capital longer.
"Yes. Get my clothes ready. I'm tired of staying in this palace."
"present!"
After she finished decorating, Seret picked up her umbrella, then remembered that it was from Yuan's gift. I frowned.
“She is beautiful after all.”
“Very beautiful, no wonder it is one of the most luxurious stores!” Hannah said admiringly.
Seret smiled coldly and presented it to her.
“Take it for yourself.”
"What? The umbrella?! But it's from the Duke himself!"
“It would be a waste if I threw it away. Take it.”
“They'll think I stole it!”
"Then keep it, and we'll sell it when we get back to Mushley. And I'll give you all the money."
“Is it right to sell the Duke’s gift?”
“At least I won't throw it away.” She said, tightening the strap of her hat.
Hannah was always worried about her mistress's dealings with the Duke.
Every time they sat at the table, she feared she would stab him with a fork or knife.
She also noticed the whispers of the servants who were surprised by her mistress's coldness towards the Duke.
“Miss, could you be a little nicer to the Duke? The servants are looking at us strangely.” Hannah said as she tied the hat ribbon.
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