The Duchesses

Chapter 32 : Can You Help Me?

On the other side of the Empire, Medea, still in Hera's body, continues to act like her in the capital until the night falls. She had also read the messages Hera left before they switched bodies.

Dear Lady Medea.

The Imperial Palace has issued a decree imposing a bounty on Duchess Natalie's head in response to a demand from the Empire's nobles and people. They believed that the fake oracle about Duchess Natalie would bring the Empire down. In terms of the Crassore Empire, the Empress ordered the Imperial Family to take action against the Smith family.

Probably His Eminence has told you about the nobles' meeting. Some men have claimed that Lady Natalie was manipulated by the Crassore Empire rebellions because of the late Duke's connection with them. There is also speculation that the late Duke was assassinated by nobles, including the Imperial Family. That's why Lady Natalie has a grudge against the high-rank society.

Furthermore, the Smith's seal was examined on some papers brought by the men. His Eminence has been following the men, but they are becoming increasingly difficult to locate. They seem to have vanished into thin air. We suspect Ares annihilated them all to destroy the evidence. So far, things aren't looking good for the Duchess. That's all I have to say. I hope you like the outfit you're wearing right now because I'm preparing it for you in case we switch bodies again.

Before I end this letter, we will swap bodies again when the night comes and please burn the letter as you have finished reading it.

Yours, Hera.

Medea reaches for the candle on the table, lighting it and slowly burning the letter as she shares Hera's suspicions about men. Then, because the sun is still up, she goes to her wardrobe to change into more appropriate clothing before heading downstairs. Her servants are perplexed by her unexpected outfits, as the Crown Princess rarely goes out except to meet Prince Ares.

"I'd like to go to the Temple," she said as the servants rushed to prepare the carriage.

It is not out of Hera's character to visit the Temple, given her devotion. The carriage transports the Crown Princess to the Temple when the preparations are finished. Almost ten steps away, the priests greet her. Medea is perplexed when she is in Hera's body because everyone looks at the Duchess with daggers in their eyes not long time ago since she was known as the Devil of Angelos Empire. Yet, in Hera's body, people look at her with so much warmth and loveliness that she doesn't use to receive.

"Welcome, Lady Hera. Do you want to visit the prayer room as usual?" the priest greets her since he always guides her in her prayer room.

However, Medea secretly desires to visit the Temple because she wishes to meet Cardinal Eryx. If Hera Nicoli suddenly requests to meet Eryx Angelos, the Crown Prince will look into it for being too suspicious. Since too many eyes are on her, she nods and smiles at the priest.

She walks to the prayer room as the priest says, "I'll leave now. Please do not hesitate to reach one of us if you have any questions," before exiting the room.

The blonde woman waits in the prayer room for a while before snooping around the Temple to find Eryx. She has no guarantee of finding him, but it would be preferable if she met him now to obtain as much critical information as possible. People should not have known that Princess Isis was being saved at this time.

"Where would Eryx be right now?" Medea wonders about his whereabouts.

Ares will intervene and kill her without Princess Isis bringing justice to that woman. The woman poses as Natalie. She's furious right now because she had to do this to save that stranger, to meet and save the real Natalie. At the same time, Medea is also concerned about Natalie's whereabouts now that the stranger has taken over her body.