Bab 30: Hunter

Velriona held her breath for a moment at Neonidas' last words. The hardness on her face began to soften, replaced by a deep sadness mixed with anger. Her lips parted, but she hesitated for a few seconds before speaking. In that brief silence, the struggle to hide the storm inside her was clearly visible.

"What... do you mean?" she finally asked, her voice trembling and sharp. Her eyes searched Neonidas's, looking for the seriousness they once held. "What will happen to Allea? How can you speak so confidently?"

A master liar like Neonidas would say that the two greatest rules of lying were: the first rule was to lie as little as possible, and the second was not to tell different lies to people who are close to each other. But here, once again, he would have to lie. Of course, some people say that relationships built on lies will eventually collapse, but for Neonidas, those people were novice liars. A master liar is one who can get away with it in any situation.

"It wouldn't be right for me to say this here, Your Majesty, and if we were to go to a private room at this hour of the night, it would lead to gossip," Neonidas said, skillfully adopting a sorrowful expression. "However, if you truly wish to know, I could offer to speak with you privately at a more appropriate time. Perhaps tomorrow afternoon after lunch, or we could have tea together in the garden after breakfast."

Velriona furrowed her brows, but for a moment, she hesitated, thrown off by Neonidas's realistic sincerity—his greatest weapon. She wanted to know the truth, or at least what Neonidas meant. Was her daughter, whom she loved more than her own life, really in danger in this world? Or had she at least made new enemies? These were the questions troubling Empress Velriona's mind.

"I will call for you tomorrow. But if this is some foolish joke, know that my last reaction will be to laugh," she said coldly.

Neonidas bowed his head slightly in a humble manner. "As you command, Your Majesty."

Empress Velriona stood up from the table and left the room with slow, but confident steps. As she exited, the large doors of the hall echoed behind her, leaving a silence in the room. Neonidas picked up his glass and took another sip of wine. His eyes lingered on the door for a moment before he smiled mockingly to himself.

'I can guarantee I'll make that beautiful face of yours smile, Your Majesty.'

His plans were moving slowly, but perfectly. Velriona's curiosity and concern had brought her one step closer to being under Neonidas's control. But it was already well past midnight, and Neonidas stood up, look toward his fiancée, Allea, who was still speaking with some nobles.

Neonidas made his way through the hall with smooth steps toward Allea. The princess's delicate face was intently focused on the words of the nobles she was speaking with. Her crimson hair, which absorbed the light, and her clear skin, could still be seen even in the dim light of the hall. However, Neonidas noticed a slight fatigue in Allea's eyes. 'She shouldn't be burdened with so much responsibility,' he thought. Of course, part of this thought was sincere, but another part was simply part of the role he was playing.

When Allea noticed Neonidas approaching, she gracefully ended the conversation. She wore the usual small smile, but Neonidas was sure it was just a mask.

As he neared, Neonidas immediately noticed the coldness in Allea's expression. Her mask, which made her appear kind and distant to others, felt like a sharp shield to him. Allea briefly looked at him, then turned back to face forward. Her voice, devoid of any emotion, spoke.

"It's very late. If you like, I can walk you to your room," she said.

Allea was that kind of woman. Having spent many years in war, she seemed to have lost her emotions. She knew how to play the role because she had been dealing with the noble class since childhood, but that was all. Also, she wasn't in love with Neonidas just because they had spent some time together earlier; it was probably just a nostalgic feeling from old, beautiful memories.

"You must be tired too, Your Excellency. Let me take Duke Neonidas to his room," a woman suddenly interjected. It was, of course, Duchess Lyranna.

A long-standing tradition in the empire was to welcome guests into your home as well as possible and provide them with the best hospitality. Since the palace was Allea's home, Neonidas was considered a guest. But Duchess Lyranna, on paper, was also a guest, yet Allea didn't think that way. To her, Lyranna was not only her closest friend but like a sister—someone from her family. This revealed just how close they were.

"If it's suitable for you, of course, Duke Neonidas," Lyranna added.

Neonidas responded to Lyranna's offer with a slight, graceful smile. Whether it was from politeness or from his desire to turn the situation to his advantage, no one could tell. But as always, Neonidas was ready to take control of the situation.

"Of course, Duchess Lyranna," he said warmly. "It would be rude not to accept such a kind offer."

Allea studied Neonidas's face for a moment, trying to see through his true intentions. She then slowly shook her head and spoke in a calm tone.

"In that case, I leave you to Lyranna. Good night, Neonidas."

Neonidas gave a slight nod in response. "Good night, Your Excellency.,"

As Allea gracefully and calmly walked away, Lyranna took a step toward Neonidas. The woman's purple eyes roamed over him, trying to read his thoughts.

"If you'd like, we could have a drink before the night ends," Duchess Lyranna said without waiting for an answer, and headed toward the dark counter in the corner.

After Princess Allea left, the dozen or so nobles who had been in the room had already scattered, and now only the two of them remained. Lyranna, while brushing a few strands of her purple hair away from her face, gently tucked them behind her ear as she bent down to fill two wineglasses from the bottle. But then she paused and looked at Neonidas. It was clear that she was making some kind of decision.

"Anyway, I know an easier way," she said, leaving the wine glasses and bottle behind, and quickly walked toward Neonidas.

Before Duchess Lyranna could raise her hands, Neonidas quickly pulled back, but this only surprised her more and caused her to grow angry. Neonidas had acted on impulse, as if some force inside him told him to escape, and before he even realized it, he had withdrawn. But the next moment, when he saw that Lyranna had disappeared... that's when he realized he'd gotten himself into serious shit. Fortunately, his duke's ring would save him from a fatal attack, but Neonidas had saved that ring for another day.

Suddenly, a shadow loomed over Neonidas, and the next moment, he was on the ground, face down. Duchess Lyranna had knelt on top of him, pinning him to the floor with her strong hands. Neonidas noticed the sharp, dangerous red in Lyranna's eyes, replacing the warm glow, and it was then that he understood the seriousness of the situation. The smile had vanished from Lyranna's face, replaced by the expression of a hunter.

"Oh right, another 'who are you?' ahh moment, huh?"

Ignoring Neonidas's words, Duchess Lyranna spoke.

"Who are you? And what do you want with Allea?" she asked. Her purple hair was now flying around her as if gravity didn't exist, floating in the air. This was due to her being a type of vampire, and at the same time, Duchess Lyranna was so powerful that with just one finger, she could pierce Neonidas's back and sever his heart.

When Neonidas realized the danger in Lyranna's red eyes, every muscle in his body tensed. Lyranna's fingertips made the surrounding air vibrate, like an electric current, revealing her vampire nature. However, even though Neonidas knew how much danger he was in, he remained calm.

Lyranna's expression hardened further, her red light intensifying. "Answer my question!" she demanded. Her voice was so sharp and piercing that it could have frightened even demons, as if every word hung in the air like a threat.

Neonidas recognized the danger he was in, but he still tried to maintain his composure. He wasn't foolish enough to make a move. Considering Lyranna's strength, her vampire nature, and her warrior skills, any mistake could result in catastrophic consequences.

Neonidas remained silent for a few seconds, took a deep breath, and then, without breaking his gaze from Lyranna's red eyes, spoke. "Duchess Lyranna, if you wish to know the answer to your question, Your Excellency, you may speak to Allea. She will vouch for me. Now please release me, or the consequences will be severe for you."

Upon hearing Neonidas's calm response, Lyranna paused for a moment. The red light in her eyes faded slightly, but her expression still resembled that of a hunter. Before taking another sip of her drink, she thought over Neonidas's words. No matter what step she took, directly killing Neonidas would be risky. She even had to acknowledge that this man might be a threat to Allea.

"I hope you're aware of the consequences of trying to deceive me," she said, and after biting her finger, she left a mark on Neonidas's neck with her blood.

It was a blood spell. Neonidas didn't know what kind of magic this crazy woman was using, but it was certainly something dangerous. Thankfully, after speaking with Allea, Duchess Lyranna would probably calm down. 'I hope so.'