The Duchesses

Chapter 26 : The Threads Tangle Up

"Your Highness, the men you've dispatched, have not responded to our requests," one of Ares' subordinates informs the Crown Prince as he finishes on the nation's affairs.

The Crown Prince stopped in his track before suddenly saying, "Has Duchess Medea yet reached the capital?"

"Not yet, Your Highness," Ares could only nod at the words as he was thinking about his next move, continuing to review the document.

"Our man has reached the Empire. Would you like to meet him?" the man continues to report to the Crown Prince.

"There is no necessity. Simply carry out the plan as described. You know what to do afterwards," Ares dismisses the man, recalculating his plan.

It's been two days since Natalie and Isis vanished, and the nobles demanded that the search party look for them immediately. However, they couldn't risk another Empire's Crown Princess missing in their midst. It will not only disrupt the Empire's harmony, but it will also cause friction between the two Empires. Fortunately, the nobles agree to let Duchess Medea lead the search party.

It also helps the Crown Prince's cause because Medea can prove her worth as a new Duchess and her ability to succeed as his Empress. So he only needs to think of a way to gain Hera's divinity power and persuade the Duchess once more. But there is something off about Medea that he dislikes. Sure, she's intelligent, but the woman is too cunning and manipulative for him. And it irritates him. Perhaps this is why he has rejected the woman as he sees her.

Hera is easier to manipulate, and the blonde woman is now head over heels in love with him. That is until she abruptly asked to call off their engagement. On the other hand, Natalie is in his grasp and ready to be thrown around. It's not going well for him either, but with this incident, he can secure Natalie's power and, if possible, kill her. Regardless, he would be mistaken if he underestimated any of these women.

A knock comes from the door, and one of the knights bows down and greets him as a courtesy to the Imperial member.

"Pardon us for disrupting Your Highness. The nobles have demanded an audience with the Crown Prince of the Angelos Empire regarding Duchess Natalie and Princess Isis' disappearance," the knight said.

Prince Ares stifles a grin and immediately agrees to the request. The knights can't believe he didn't react with anger to their request. The search party led by Duchess Valimos and her aid, Marquess Hector, had been gone for nearly a day, and any further appeals of this nature would be an insult to the Imperial Family.

Prince Ares enters the meeting room with a greeting from the nobles, as they all stand up since he is acting as the Emperor's proxy in his absence.

"I have heard the nobles request for an audience from me. State your purpose," Ares doesn't beat around the bush this time.

"We already know that the search party led by Duchess Medea and Marquess Hector has begun. However, the disappearances of both figures cannot be dismissed in this manner. One man was apprehended today in my territories, and he is somewhat familiar; it is a man who met with Duchess Natalie and Princess Isis," the claim perks up the nobles' attention.

"He'd most likely hold up the key to their disappearance," one of the nobles says.

"Bring him in," Ares orders, nodding at the man who made such an exclamation earlier.

The Crown Prince crosses over his leg while waiting for the man to arrive. The nobles are also silent, feeling the silence slowly eating them inside. It is a perfect opportunity for him since Medea and Natalie are not here, and those fools are easier to manipulate. It may be difficult to believe, but even Ares would not have expected Natalie to be difficult to persuade, as she is hard-headed, to begin with. People would portray her as someone obsessed and follow whatever the Crown Prince demand, but Natalie is a pain in the arse.