บท 10: A Wugarian Duke

He's alive?

She narrowed her eyes and immediately turned her attention towards her stepmother who just got out of the carriage.

"I am going inside the tent," she mummered. "Stay outside and watch them."

"I understand." Milith nodded.

Once inside, she started pacing as she thought about the man that she saved on the river. Before that she met a red-eyed man, she left that man in the bushes thinking that the other men would find him and kill him. She didn't even bother to hide that man's body.

But it looked like the man survived, after all.

No. Actually, this isn't the only problem that she has now.

She thought of the man that she used her light Blessing to save..

Was it even possible that he was close to the man with red eyes? Perhaps a subordinate?

She bit her lower lips.

She can't let that man see her again!

No. She simply cannot let this happen.

But what if he wasn't with them? Her heart pounded against her chest. She was tempted to look, to make sure that he wasn't there.

Then her gaze darkened.

What if he was there!?

What if he was with them?

Then they should leave as soon as possible, she thought inwardly. Yes, they should leave.

That is the only way.

What if they decide to stay?

No. They cannot stay.

They can't stay here!

"Milith…" she hissed.

"Young lady?" Milith walked inside, her brows furrowed. "We may have a problem."

"What's wrong?"

"That man— "

"What man?"

"The one with red eyes."

"What about him?"

"He seemed to recognize me when he saw me, but quickly turned his head away. I just… the madam is scared and tried to send them away, but I believe she changed her mind when she realized that a Wugarian Duke was with them."

"A Wugarian Duke?"

"I— I can't be certain. I just heard them call him your Grace and I— "

Your Grace was used to address a Duke or a Grand Duke. It was reasonable for Milith to think that a Duke was accompanying the soldiers. However, Milith's words only made her theories make more sense now.

The Duke is indeed coming.

She was right.

But why was he coming with heads in a pole?

Heads in a pole?

Wait… perhaps?

"Young Lady what if— "

She raised a finger to silence Milith.

"They will not harm us. We are from the Lux Family," Rosalind said. To put it simply, all kingdoms and Empires value all the Seven Blessed Families. Attacking one of them could easily cause war and chaos.

Being a member of the Lux Family had its own advantages and disadvantages and there are just extravagant things like… war and devastation or a devastating effect on their Kingdom's economy and trade.

The Lux Family is considered one of the most powerful families, not just because they are one of the Blessed families, but because of the type of Blessing that they had. Light.

The Blessing of light could easily dispel all curses, and she meant all of them.

While other families could destroy curses, only the Lux family could dispel any curse and could do it with ease. After all, light always beat the darkness, and curses were something that came from the Dark Lord himself.

Many empires have invited the Lux Family to live on their land and even offered them many advantages simply because they can dispel everything. However, they kindly declined and stayed in the Aster Empire, making them the most powerful empire known to man.

So right now, she was very confident that the Wugarians would never touch a single strand of their hair.

"Young Lady…"

The two of them stopped talking when they heard the voice of Victoria's maid, Grace.

Almost immediately, Rosalind's face switched. She beamed and run outside.

"Grace! Why did you call me? Do you need something?"

"Young Lady this— " Grace looked towards the soldiers, clearly embarrassed because of how loud she spoke. "Please keep your voice down."

"Why? Is something the matter? What about mother?" Rosalind acted like a fool and looked behind Grace. "What— Are those— " Her face paled when she saw the heads that were impaled in a pole. She had already seen them earlier, but looking at them up close was just horrifying.

"Young Lady, let's go inside," Grace said.

"What are those?" Rosalind asked, her trembling hands touched Grace's. "Tell me… are they bandits? Are they here to take us away?"

"Young Lady calm down…"

"Calm down!? Are they going to kill us? Are they— no I cannot— what about mother? Did they harm my mother?" Her voice started shaking, tears welled up in her eyes.

"Young lady— "

"Please let me see my mother. I have to make sure that she is safe! Please— "

Grace exerted some force, holding her down.

"Grace, what are you doing!? I want to see my mother— I want to make sure that she's safe. Let me go!"

"Young Lady, listen to me! They are not here to harm us."

Rosalind froze. She frowned and gave Grace a confused look. "What are you talking about?"

"They are soldiers from another Kingdom traveling to the capital. The madam thought it would be better for us to travel together."

Rosalind still plastered a confused look on her face. "Why? Why do we need to travel with them?"

"Well… it's because these people were working for someone called a Duke. You do remember what a Duke is, right?" Grace said those words slowly. It was as if she was talking to a child instead of a seventeen-year-old woman. While she tried to hide it, Rosalind could clearly sense the exhaustion in her voice.

'Good,' Rosalind thought. 'This was the only way for them to avoid her!'

"Then— "

"However, the madam wanted you to know that there is no need for you to interact with them if you do not want to."

This made her sigh in relief. The madam is indeed magnanimous. Then she snickered inwardly. Magnanimous? No. This woman just didn't want the Wugarians to see her and think that the Lux Family was bullying a member of their own family.

"The madam also said she will be sending a set of new clothes for you to wear." Grace continued. "And— "

"And?"

"I know the madam said that you don't have to talk to anyone of them but I just— I just wanted you to know that these people came from the Wugary Kingdom."

"Wugary?" her eyes widened.

"They are dangerous. I heard that the heads that they carried were soldiers of our empire and I highly believe that the reason why they didn't touch us is because we are from the Lux Family."

Rosalind paled, accordingly. It seems that she was right. Victoria didn't want her to meet the Duke.

She smirked inwardly. Oh, mother dear.

...

Please add Eve's Gambit to your library. It has the same World as Rosie's Games but you can read it separately. There will be mentions and of course, the reason why Rosie reincarnated will be included in that novel! Thanks