I Am The Evil Duchess

S2: LI

"Ha!"

It was all that she could say and turned away out of embarrassment.

"That woman is crazy for chasing after the Duke."

"She's obsessed, she needs help as soon as possible..."

I chuckled and agreed with them. We are located at a place that Regan had reserved for us, we are free to spend our time here as we wait for the hunting festival to end. Women prefer to just stay at the parlor in the palace and wait for their lovers or knights to offer them their prey, So there are not many nobles walking around here on the hunting grounds.

But along with the delegations, nobles from Azalais came as well.

Regan went to Azalais once in awhile, it was when Derrick was just a month old when he was forced to go to Azalais under the Emperor's order.

When he went back, he was already with Celia, the little Duchess of Alula. I could still remember his pale face when he arrived at the entrance of the Duchy. I couldn't even speak as I stared at him while Celia didn't stop talking, leaning her body to have a physical contact with my husband's arm.

"Welcome..." I spoke in a small voice as I looked at the woman up and down.

"Honey... Take me." My eyebrows creased in confusion.

I immediately went to the other side and pulled him hard and fast to my side, causing the woman to slightly stumble.

She glared at me before turning to Regan.

"Duke, who is she?"

"My Lady, if you please leave already, as far as I remember, I refused to have you as my guest..."

"Oh my, don't be like that My Duke! We are going to be one family anyways!"

It felt like a rope called patience was cut off.

"Excuse me but who the hell are you?"

"W-What? You!"

"Leave! How dare you flirt in front of me! Going to a married man's house even though you were not welcomed... You make me sick!"

I left the two of them at the entrance and went up to my sons room, locking it. Seconds and I heard Regan knocking on the door.

"It's not my Mistress."

After that, Regan became careful when bringing a woman in front of me, he slept on the couch for nearly a year after all...

Celia was not satisfied with the bachelors in Azalais, because she's the only daughter of the Duke, she was expecting to be wed with the same status or higher, but how could she marry the bachelors back in Azalais when they do not meet her preferences. The only man that she could give her hand to is Duke Tieran, however, Phillip Rudeus Tieran is a 60 years old bachelor.

She almost got engaged with him but then she threatened to kill herself. The couple of Alula can't do anything but let their daughter find a spouse for herself.

But how can she be so shameless setting her eyes on a married man though?

Regan once told me that he went to Azalais 10 years ago, and then he might've met Celia but he never introduced himself properly.

That might've been the time where her obsession arises.

We changed the topic and never talked about the little Duchess, we talked about the trends of the Capital and the likes, until someone interrupted us.

"I greet the honorable Ladies..." My heart thumped against my chest and fear spread in my whole system.

I turned to look at the person who spoke.

Light brown hair, she smiled at me with her slanted black eyes, her lips were thin but pink. Behind those friendly gaze lies a very familiar feeling of de ja vu.

"Oh, pardon me! It seems like the noble ladies do not have any idea of who I might be--"

"I am the priestess of Azalais..."

Her eyes closed the moment she smiled at us, overlapping with the face of someone whom I hated the most.

But was that even possible? To see someone from a different person?

Was there any kind of magic that could change the appearance of someone?

"A priestess? This is the first time that I have heard of it." Adelai spoke.

The priestess from Azalais turn to face her.

"Ah yes, it might've been a little late, but the Empire delayed the announcement of a new priestess."

"Delayed?"

"Yes, I've been appointed as the Priestess of Azalais for 3 years now."

My heart sank further. Why?

Why do I get this sinister feeling from her?

"I'm getting bored of staying inside my room now, would it be alright if I join?"

As nobles who came from a well known families, we have the very right to decline her request, however, if we decline her, a guest of the Royal Family and a delegate from another Empire. There might be a chance where our reputation would plummet, and it could be an issue of our Empire, since she is a Priestess of another Empire.

We do not have any other choice but to bend to her will.

"I'm glad that My Ladies were kind enough to keep me company, thank you."

Once again, her crescent shape eyes turn to me. It was a heart-warming gaze that anyone could tell. But for me, it was devoid of any emotion. When I stare closely into her eyes, I feel uneasy, it's as if I was being lured in some kind of den...

Her kindness was telling me that it's dangerous.

"So... How are you Duchess? Are your children well? They are going here as well right? There's no way that they wouldn't. On the next day, the children of the aristocrats would attend as well."

Her eyes bore into mine, her hands settles on top of the table crossing them in front of me.

"It would be a great honor for me if I could bless them both." A chill ran down my spine the moment she said those words.

"My children... Has been blessed by the High priest, I am afraid that there's no need to do so."

It's as if the strings that tugged the corners of her lips were cut off. Her lips formed into a thin line while looking at me.

She blinked and as if nothing happened, she smiled again.

"Is that so... It's a shame that I couldn't bless them, but I hope next time."

I heard the screeching sound of a chair, being pulled, it stings my ear a little bit.

"I hope next time, the Duchess will allow me..."

And with that, the Priestess of Azalais went away.

A/N: wow, I'm excited to decrease some characters. It's getting hard for me to remember them 💀

Unedited
March 10, 2023
LizzannaWrites