Married To The Enemy Kingdom's Illegitimate Prince
Chapter 130 — No Key Can Save You

Chapter 130: 130 — No Key Can Save You

"Cynthia... You’ve awakened your divine powers, haven’t you?"

Hearing Duke Ramsel ask that question, Lucian’s attention shifted back to the conversation.

"H-How do you know about that?" Cynthia’s voice hesitated, her eyes narrowing.

"The whole kingdom knows that our family is the only one that can produce saints. Hadn’t it been for Alistair, everyone would be on their knees before our household like they used to... If only I had those powers! Do you know how hard it was to be compared to my sisters and looked down upon over and over?!"

Duke Ramsel let out a dry laugh which soon echoed in the dimly lit yet dark room.

"Of course, you don’t know. Nor do you need to know. Once you die—"

"Once I die?" Cynthia repeated.

"Ah. Those useless things failed to kill you no matter how many times I sent them to you... Be it when you were a child or an adult!"

"Why would you try to kill me?! Don’t you constantly say we are family?! Where is that when you plan to kill your family members!"

"I killed my elder sister, so why not you too? Although my other sister is alive," Duke Ramsel clicked his tongue in disapproval. "She should have—"

His quiet grumble came to an abrupt stop when a loud slap struck his face.

"Where is she?!"

"I would never—"

Another slap struck his cheek, leaving her handprint on his skin.

"Tell me!"

"I will never tell you!"

"Duke Ramsel," Cynthis gritted, her breath ragged. She couldn’t control her fury.

Duke Ramsel obviously held a lot of secrets but she couldn’t figure out how it was so easy. Did he tell her the entire truth or there are things he still hid from her?

Clenching her fist, Cynthia bent down to look at him.

"This is not the end. And don’t even think you can escape from here. The chains are mana-proof, used for prisons and of course, no key can save you."

Duke Ramsel sneered despite the sting on his cheek and the cold bite of the mana-proof chains around his wrists. His once imposing aura had dimmed, but the malice in his gaze burned just as brightly.

"Escape? Do you take me for a fool, Cynthia?" he spat, his voice dripping with venom. "I don’t need to escape to ruin you. You’ve already ruined yourself by coming here. Do you think anyone will trust a grand duchess who stoops to this level? Torture, imprisonment, desperation... How very Eldorian of you."

Cynthia’s jaw tightened, but she refused to let his words shake her.

"I’ll do whatever it takes to protect what’s mine. Unlike you, I value my people over my pride."

Ramsel barked a low laugh.

"Your people? Do you mean your puppets? Or the husband who despises you? Tell me, Cynthia, does that man even know where you are right now? Does he care?"

Lucian flinched once the conversation shifted about him.

Of course, I care!

He frowned, trying his best to not go there and join Cynthia in torturing that man. The revelations he had made were enough to execute him without a second thought. A traitor to his own family and country couldn’t be trusted.

Cynthia’s fingers twitched, the temptation to strike him again overwhelming. But she stepped back, refusing to give him the satisfaction. Instead, she drew a dagger from her belt, its silver blade catching the dim light of the room.

"You’ve underestimated me, Duke Ramsel," she said coldly, the tip of the blade hovering near his throat. "You think you can provoke me into losing control? That I’ll make a mistake you can exploit? You’re wrong. I’m not the naive girl you think I am."

Ramsel’s grin faltered, his eyes narrowing. "And yet here you are, wasting time with me while others plot against you. You can’t stop what’s coming, my dear niece. You’re just one pawn on this board."

Cynthia lowered the blade but leaned in close, her voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "Then I’ll burn the entire board if I have to in order to get out of the control of anyone who might be playing this game."

With that, she turned and strode toward the door, leaving Ramsel chained and seething. But as she reached the threshold, his low chuckle followed her, chilling her spine.

"You can’t outrun the truth, Cynthia. It’s already clawing at your back."

She didn’t pause, didn’t give him the satisfaction of a response. But as the heavy door slammed shut behind her followed by Arlot. She couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that Ramsel’s words held more weight than she wanted to admit.

"Someone else is playing a game, Arlot. We need to find that person before they set the monsters free. Now I’m also certain they have the book. No wonder you couldn’t find it," Cynthia spouted without taking a breath.

"Your Highness," Arlot gently placed his hand on her shoulder. "Breathe," he gently smiled, hoping she could relax.

Cynthia nodded, closing her eyes before inhaling deeply. Then, she opened her eyes, looking at Arlot.

"Thank you."

"You don’t ever need to thank me. However, I wanted to ask... How did you know all of this already? Even though you have been questioning him it felt you only wanted to confirm things and you already had an idea of his answers."

"Well..." Cynthia pursed her lips, hesitating. "There is a lot I wish to tell you but I don’t know if you would believe me."

Arlot raised an eyebrow.

"I always believed your every word, Your Highness. You can give it a try," he spoke softly, his gaze unwavering.

He wasn’t lying and Cynthia knew that. For the past years, he blindly followed her every word and never questioned her. Perhaps now, before her revenge ended, she could tell him the truth— about her past, her intentions, everything.

"Why don’t we return to the mansion and have a chat?" She curled her lips into a faint grin.

Arlot nodded, snapping his fingers, disappearing into the violet light.

Lucian, who carefully and silently followed them, failed to hear their conversation, leaving him even more curious.

"Your Highness, they’ve returned to the mansion. We shall head back before someone finds out we are missing," the man who had brought Lucian stated.

"Alright," Lucian replied. "Let’s go."