Logan, who escorted Evelynâs carriage, bowed his head as Evelyn said that she wanted to meet the Emperor. However, Fabian already knew this would happen as soon as she requested for a duel.
Logan led Evelyn into the shade of a nearby tree. A simple chair and table were placed there for the Emperor to rest.
âYour Majesty.â
Evelyn briefly gave an example. With a glance, Fabian offered Evelyn a seat beside him.
âDid you change your mind?â
ââ¦â¦No.â
âWhy did you find me, then?â
The wind blew between the two who sat across from each other, shaking the leaves. Todayâs night sky would have been clear if it werenât for this situation.
âTo tell you about my decision.â
âIâve heard it all before.â
âNo, Your Majesty still doesnât know what I mean.â
Fabian lowered his eyebrows. He didnât seem to like it when Evelyn judged him.
âAfter this conversation, I wonât say anything to your Majesty.â
âWhat do you mean by that?â
âIt means that my decision is final, and all other choices are yours. I mean, I wonât change my mind until the end, so Your Majesty doesnât have to give me a chance to change my mind anymore.â
Fabian watched Evelyn coolly. He understood what she meant inside his brain. Yet, he couldnât help it because his heart had already broken. He hated Evelyn for pushing him away every time he reached out over and over again.
âBut if Your Majesty still wants to prove that absurd suspicion, I will risk my life and ask for a duel of truth. No matter what the result. Your Majesty and I, one of us, will lose their life and honour. And that factâ¦â¦.the Elder will know.â
Fabian had previously felt this rage. It felt similar to the time when he found that Evelyn had asked the Vatican to help her divorce.
âYouâre still a coward.â
Always. It was a two-person problem, but Evelyn always pushed Fabian away and got others to interfere.
Evelynâs badness was that she couldnât stick to something she loved, regardless of what she did. And Fabian considered her attitude, which always took advantage of the fact that he was the Emperor, was worse than anything.
âI have no power, unlike Your Majesty, so I canât help it.â
Evelyn knew that, but she didnât regret it. Fabian was an Emperor, a daunting foe to face. Regardless of the means and methods, the Emperorâs authority was overwhelming.
âSo, Your Majesty has to make the final decision. By all means, you have toâ¦â Evelyn looked straight through his eyes. But Fabian turned his gaze before her words were over.
âFine.â
It was a quick and unexpected answer. Evelyn couldnât catch what was he said with a confused look. But it seemed that Fabian had no intention of listening to her any further.
âI donât care if itâs a threat or a gamble. If you want it, Iâll do it.â Fabian said coldly, âPfftâ¦no way, were you surprised to know this âthingâ will continue?â
Evelyn even forgot to say something. At least, she thought that he would be worried, but it turned out that Fabianâs attitude was very different from what she had expected.
âDonât test my love anymore.â
It was a very unimagined word.
Fabian was as calm as usual, but he couldnât hide the wounds in his black eyes.
âI have a heart, too. Everyone in this world dares to hurt me, but youâre different. Only youâ¦â¦who shouldnât do that.â
She loved him at one time. Although Fabian didnât know why Evelyn hated him so much now, it was real.
If Adrian was the fruit of their love, then Fabian couldnât stand back. She might have asked him for forgiveness or vice versa, he might have said he would forgive everything, but it was out of the question to beg for more love.
âAt that time. You asked the Vatican for help in divorcing me without a word. As if you already knew that I would issue an edict on the one-sided notice.â
Fabian accepted the divorce in anger. And thereâs no way Evelyn didnât know his personality.
âI wonât get hit twice.â
He would instead refuse a divorce and be disgraced by the Vatican. Sometimes, there was something more important than pride. It was none other than Evelyn in front of his eyes who taught it.
âNow, I donât care about my honour. If someone speaks, then I just need to slap his throat. Thatâs all. Do you think I canât kill them just because theyâre elders?â
Evelynâs face hardened, and she looked pale, feeling angry at Fabian. âBut, you promised to return Adrian and me to the Kingdomâ¦.â
âA promise? Does that have any meaning between us? Youâre the one who broke the most important promise first.â
âYour Majesty!â Evelyn rose from her seat and glared at Fabian.
However, the knights around her were Emperorâs aide. Feliceâs royal knights, which were few, would be defeated quickly. Besides, she was currently in the middle of a haunted- Black Veil forest.
âDonât even think to run away. If you meet demons tonight, you wonât be able to convince them by words.â
Evelyn bit her lips tightly, âYouâre a coward, Your Majesty.â
âIs that so?â
There was no guarantee that Fabian would keep his promises. But she didnât know it was going to turn out like this.
âYour Majesty, I know you as a man who wouldnât use this kind of trick. Thatâs why I followed you.â
âThen you, as I know you, werenât a person who will take my heart hostage and use a trick like this.â
It seemed that the conversation between the two was already enough. Nothing would change when they listened to each other with hateful looks.
Only the cold night breeze that drifted away.
âI wonât go as Your Majestyâs wish.â
âWell, youâll seeâ, Fabian said and stood up. He no longer wanted to argue and hear hurtful words.
But suddenly, a big wind hovered again when she tried to say something.
Evelyn, who was clueless, could even sense something unpleasant and dubious. At that time, without a second thought, Fabian pulled Evelyn quickly.
âYour Majesty!!!!â
âBack.â Fabian caught hold of Evelynâs arm and leaned her next to him, looking around with cautious eyes.
Without orders, the knights were already on alert and paying attention to their surroundings.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
Once again, there was another strong wind. Evelyn frowned at the fishy, unpleasant smell. It didnât take her long to recall the same experience in memory.
âThis smell, at that timeâ¦..the scent of Wyverns blood that attacked the festival day!
It was a distinctively fishy smell that wafted from the demons. And when she realized it, Evelynâs heart started beating fast.
âYour Majesty, this scent is like the smell of a Wyvern at that time.â
Fabian nodded and put his index finger to his mouth, telling her not to make a sound.
The cold wind that continued to blow without stopping had created a tense atmosphere in the darkness. Ever since the first wind blew, Fabian seemed to have realized the demonâs presence.
âGo to the carriageâ, Fabian whispered low. In the event of a battle, staying in a closed place was relatively much safer.
Evelyn nodded. And fortunately, Adrian was still inside the carriage, as it was the only safe place right now.
âDonât worry. The demons wonât attack you in this forest.â Fabianâs outspoken voice sounded like he was trying to reassure Evelyn.
âMy knights and I arenât weak.â
Evelyn had been comforted by his words. For the first time, Evelyn felt grateful that Fabian and the Black Eagle Knights were so strong.
âNow, slow down.â
Fabian tried to open the way for her, but a gale blew again. Evelyn suddenly stopped unconsciously, and Fabian held her arm again. Before long, a knightâs scream could be heard from a distance.
âThatâsâ¦â¦â¦ Itâs a knightâs voice of the Felice Kingdom!!â Evelyn was frightened out of the blue and shouted out loud.
âTheyâre guarding the carriage, Adrianâs carriage!!!â
Fabian held firmly to Evelyn, who was about to run, and he whistled.
âLooks like the knights guarding the carriage must have been attacked by a demon. But the carriage is safeâ.
Evelyn could barely breathe when Serus reported the situation.
âHow many monsters are there?â asked Fabian.
âI canât see itâ¦â¦seems to be flying.â
Fabian swallowed up his curses. It was bad luck to meet a flying demon on the dead of night. However, there was no room to blame the current situation. Fabian should be able to choose his priorities after seeing Evelyn shuddered beside him.
âGo to the carriage quietly and stay still with the Prince.â
But Evelyn didnât answer. Even for trained knights, the demon was a terrifying terror. So there was no way Evelyn, who was an ordinary woman, could be calm in these circumstances.
âI will be standing here, so in the meantime, go to the carriage. Donât be afraid, go straight.â
âYesâ¦..?â
Evelyn was puzzled. Did Fabian, the Emperor want to use himself as bait so she could escape?
âThe demon only target me.â
The unbelievable idea was right, and Fabian appeared as calm as usual.
âYou want to protect the Prince, donât you?â said Fabian after he saw Evelynâs hesitation.
âThatâs what I seeâ¦â
Just as Evelyn wished to protect Adrian, Fabian also wanted to protect Evelyn as well. Although she was a woman who hated him so much until a while ago, he couldnât give her to the demon.
âWhyâ¦â¦ to me.â Her throat was choked up. A mix of emotions filled Evelynâs heart, not knowing whether it was sadness, regret, or affectionate.
âDonât you hate me?â
âOnly when youâre alive you can hate me.â
Feeling confused, Evelyn bit her lip in a fright. The fishy scent that carried by the wind had gotten stronger than before. She couldnât afford to hesitate. Same like Fabianâs heart, it was true that she wanted to protect Adrian too.
âYour Majesty! Itâs Devil Eye! Their flock is coming!â
â······Damn it!â Fabian couldnât help but swear this time after hearing Serusâs cry.
The Devil Eye was a troublesome demon with bat wings and eyeballs as big as a human head. Fabian thought they were extinct now, but they werenât.
âThey have poison, so donât touch them as much as possible!â
Fabian took off his robe and put it over Evelynâs head, âIndividually, they are weak demons, so if youâre on the carriage, you wonât get hurt.â
Almost at the same time, a crowd of black creatures scattered in the gust of wind. Evelyn fastened her robe and ran to the carriage.
âKiik!âKiik!âKiik!â
Her ear was pierced painfully by a barbaric sound.
She was terrified. The sound of the leaves blowing in the wind felt like a demonâs cry. And the batâs wings flapping noise fueled the horror even more.
âKiak!â
In front of Evelynâs eyes, a large eyeball-shaped Devil Eye flew straight to her. They said that if people were too afraid, they couldnât even hear a single word. And now, it happened to her.
âGo!â
Logan, the Black Hawk knight, struck the eyeball with his sword.
Despite her confusion in the middle of chaos, Evelyn didnât forget to head for Adrian.
âAh!â
But from the opposite direction that Evelyn was heading, a larger group of Devil Eye was coming. The sound of flapping wings overshadowed the whole sense like a huge storm.
âCa-carriage, the carriageâ¦.!â
They were still far away, but quite close. The howling horseâs voice which was startled by the Devil Eye and the roaring screams of the monsters that were continuously vomiting, aroused Evelyn worried.
When Evelynâs gaze managed to find the carriage, she made eye contact with the clumsy coachman who couldnât move the horse. But suddenly, when the demons rushed in, he held the whip in his hand in fear.
âNo, wait!!!â
Evelynâs voice was hidden by the hordes of demons and couldnât be heard. The coachman lost his mind and whipped the horse in panic. And with a loud sound, the carriage started to dash as if it would break anytime soon.
âWait, donât go! Stop!â
Evelyn forgot about her fear.
Only
She took off her cloak and shouted. But the carriage was getting farther away.
âPlease! Donât go, ····!â Evelyn ran in tears, chasing after the carriage before she tripped and fell.
Fabian, who came running late, approached Evelyn and raised her body.
âYour Majesty, the carriage,â¦.. Adrianâ¦â¦â Evelyn, who seemed would be fainting at any moment, murmured.
Strangely, the sound of flapping wings also sounded away. When Fabian turned his head at Serus, he nodded his head firmly.
Evelyn panicked and didnât realize it, but the flock of Devil Eyes chased after Adrianâs carriage. Thatâs why this place was quiet now.
âAdrianâ¦â¦â
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