8:Minor Skirmish

The Grand Duke stood still, his piercing silver eyes scanning the gruesome scene before him. His expression did not waver, only a slight arch of his brow giving away his thoughts. The bloodied corpse at Kael's feet with the missing limb and the twisted remains, none of it fazed him.

"Isn't the commotion you caused at the banquet enough?" Ruth's voice was sharp and emotionless, cutting through the heavy silence like a blade.

Pfft!

A sudden chuckle escaped Kael's lips.

It wasn't a normal laugh.

A laughter that sounded soft, yet quite twisted.

The air in the room grew tense, an unsettling chill creeping up everyone's spine. Kael had always been quiet, obedient, and mild-mannered like a perfect noble gentleman. But the man before them now? He was something else entirely.

Adele's face twisted in horror. She staggered back with her hands clenched into fists. "Father, this isn't Kael! I refuse to believe it! This is someone else!" she shrieked, her voice laced with both fear and frustration.

Rami and Regalina remained silent, their shock visible in their frozen expressions.

Kael's grin widened as his silvery grayish eyes darkened.

"You expect me to behave like a gentleman after all the shit I've gone through?" His voice dripped with mockery as his head tilted slightly, giving him the appearance of a predator playing with its prey.

A low chuckle rumbled from his chest.

"Is this a joke?"

The Grand Duke asked unmoved. His gaze bore into Kael, cold and calculating.

"Explain," he ordered in a voice carrying no emotion, just an undeniable weight of authority.

Kael stood, brushing the blood from his chest as if it were dust. His expression turned mockingly thoughtful before he pointed at the lifeless maid.

"This bitc—ah, I mean, this maid—tried to assault me and frame me. The same thing happened at the banquet."

"Are you joking?" Adele was the first to scoff, her lips curling in disbelief.

Regalina, who had been paralyzed by the horrific sight, snapped back into her usual self.

"Young Master, how can you accuse others of your own wrongdoings?!" she cried out, her face twisted in fake outrage. She quickly pointed at the mutilated maid, her voice rising in dramatic horror. "Just look at the poor girl's pitiful condition!"

Kael's laughter exploded with full-blown, manic cackle.

"Pitiful? Mhahahaha! The most pitiful person in this damn house is me!" His grin stretched wider as he picked up an incense burner from the table.

With a sharp flick of his wrist, he threw it across the room.

TANG! TANG! TANG!

The burner bounced off the floor with a loud, metallic clang, making everyone flinch.

Regalina's eyes widened in pure panic. Her hands trembled as her mind raced.

'Damn! That bitch was supposed to take care of the evidence first!'

Kael's golden eyes gleamed with amusement as he watched her pale face.

"This incense contains an aphrodisiac," he announced, his voice almost bored.

His gaze swept across the room before he scooped up a handful of water from the tub and splashed it onto the woman.

"GUAAAHH!"

The maid jerked awake with a horrified scream.

Tears streamed down her blood-streaked face as she crawled forward, desperate and broken.

"Please forgive me! Please! I didn't want to do it!" she sobbed, grabbing onto Kael's boot like a lifeline. "Your Nanny Regalina forced me to do this! Please spare me!"

Kael didn't even glance down at her. His grin remained unchanged, his expression that of a spectator enjoying the show.

The Grand Duke's eyes narrowed. Without a word, he tilted his head slightly.

Rami understood the silent command. He stepped forward, bending down to examine the incense burner.

Regalina and Adele stiffened. Their faces drained of all colours.

Rami sniffed the incense carefully before straightening up.

"It has been tampered with," he stated flatly.

Regalina's breath hitched. Her eyes darted around wildly before she screamed, "She's lying! I have nothing to do with this!"

Her voice shook as she desperately turned to the Grand Duke.

"Your Grace, please believe me! Plea—"

Before she could finish, Rami moved.

In a blink, he was behind her.

His hand clamped down on her shoulder.

A heavy pressure slammed down onto her body, forcing her to her knees with a loud thud.

Her eyes bulged in horror.

"Shut up," Rami muttered, his voice as emotionless as ever.

The Grand Duke simply nodded, his mind already moving past her. He turned his gaze back to Kael, studying him as though trying to measure the depth of his madness.

"You're innocent in this matter. But what about the incident with Elara?"

Kael's smile did not fade. His eyes remained cold and unblinking.

"It's the same," he said, locking eyes with the Grand Duke.

There was no hesitation. No fear.

"I am innocent. Also, does it even make sense? I'm unawakened, yet you think I can force myself on Elara? She's stronger than me."

A tense silence filled the room.

Kael's voice remained steady, mocking even.

"Many nobles already know the truth. And so do all of you. But everyone pinned it on me anyway. Because they wanted entertainment. They didn't care if I was destroyed or not. And all of you know that I am innocent right?"

Then, slowly, he turned.

His twisted grin widened as his gaze landed on Adele.

"And the one behind it all knew the banquet incident wasn't enough. So they needed something bigger to ruin my name, right, Adele?"

"Something with proof to frame me."

Adele's body went stiff.

She staggered back.

Her breathing turned uneven.

"What?! Why are you looking at me?!" she shrieked, her voice rising in panic.

Kael took a step forward.

Then another.

Within moments, he was mere inches from her, his eyes burning into her soul.

"What's wrong?" His voice was dangerously soft. "Why do you look so afraid?"

"I… I…" Adele's throat went dry, but she forced herself to glare.

"What bullshit are you spouting?! I was just a bit shocked!"

Kael's grin did not fade.

Instead, he rubbed his chin, glancing over at Regalina, who was still pinned under Rami's grip.

The Grand Duke watched the exchange, his expression unreadable. Then, finally, he spoke.

"Rami. Imprison these two and investigate them."

Rami gave a single nod before tightening his grip on Regalina.

Kael turned away, unconcerned, when his father's voice stopped him.

"Kael."

Kael paused.

"You are ordered to remain in your quarters until your name has been cleared. Is that clear?"

A beat of silence.

Then, Kael gave a mocking salute.

"It is."

The Grand Duke turned and strode away without sparing anyone another glance.

Rami knocked out Regalina and Henna with a swift chop before dragging them away, while Adele, with a loud scoff, stormed off in anger and humiliation.

His eyes shone with twisted amusement as everyone left.

"Interesting... What an interesting bunch of people banded together."

Then, with a deep breath, he sighed.

"Finally... some peace."