The Tyrant Covets The S*ave

CH 27

Two nights had passed since they arrived here. So far, Grand Duke Lucai had not shown up at all for reasons of territorial inspection. Beher ran into him once, but he just passed her coldly.

The tip of her shoulder touched him just a little, but he was as jumpy as if he had been pricked by a needle. He was usually a cold man. But that time he was cold to her for another reason.

Perhaps the boy made him angry. It was rather her who should have been angry with him who was mean to her.

Anyway, this relationship was just a contract. There was no need to worry about it anymore. Beher stood up quickly from her seat in frustration. Her head was a jumble and she needed a breath of fresh air.

Beher went outside with Lucy and took a seat at a tea table on the lawn. It was nice to feel the breeze blowing softly and not even cold.

Horn was a winter empire. She couldn’t have imagined that the whole world would be piled with green without magic.

That was why she was happy to see the blades of grass that had endured only by the power of nature. From what she heard, the sun and wind were warm only here, where the eastern wind blew.

The breeze shook Beher’s hair as if to caress it. In the meantime, Lucy rushed out of her seat to get the tea.

Beher opened the diary Lucy had given her. She had to find a clue to take revenge in her spare time. It would be helpless to enter the Vitan empire cluelessly. No, even if she had an army, it would be wiped out.

Beher thought of the oddities her father had created. Spitting out green blood and holding a lump of sludgy flesh, it exerted a strange power and destroyed everything.

It was a masterpiece created by her father. He captured demons and used them as experimental subjects. Even though the strange thing was not particularly brainwashed, the demon recognized her father as its master. 

Furthermore, when it was injected with blood, its muscle strength values increased.

It was terrifying. It seemed to tear at her skin just by looking at it. What was even scarier was that innocent people were sacrificed.

‘This is not the time for this, Beher. You should look for more information.’

Beher rummaged through the diary. No useful information was visible. As she did so, she rubbed her fingers over the paper several times, feeling that it was gripped thicker than the other papers.

“This is…”

It was a hidden compartment. Beher carefully peeled off the pasted papers with the thrill of having found something. It was only a mental impression, but she had a feeling that she might find the clue she was looking for in this.

After a while…

Beher anxiously began to read the crooked letters. It was difficult to interpret as the ink smeared everywhere.

Evidence of all this exists in the forest.

All the evidence exists in the forest.

Please, whoever finds this.

I sincerely hope you will protect the world and those you care about.>

Then Beher realized why Ron had given her the power. The four forces. He seemed to be talking about the four spirit users. But since Ron was already dead, there were only three spirit users left.

‘Did I miss something?’

Beher looked at the vast lake and thought, she bit her lips gently in frustration as she could not remember it.

Flap!

The birds that had been hiding suddenly took off. They were birds with beautiful red feathers. Beher’s lips opened a little. Then, as if in realization, her eyes widened like the full moon.

‘Ron gave me strength. Then…

I am a water spiritist. Ron is a fire spiritist.

Ron’s power has been absorbed by me. Then there was no need for there to be four spirit users.’

However, the question was , should the rest of the Spirit users’ power also be absorbed by her? Or should each of the three Spirit users have their own power?

It was a difficult question.

Beher went on reading the unclear letters that Ron had left behind.

”All the evidence is in the forest…”

The forest…what forest? A place where there were spirit users, demons, and evidence.

Beher didn’t think long. The “Spirit forest” was the only place where all this was possible. Lucy’s brother was a historian as well as a spiritist. The “forest of spirits” was where the historian was most greedy.

An unknown forest that could not be entered without permission. It was hard to enter because the army was guarding there, but it would be different if it was an imperial historian.

They had the authority to pass through the forest and could study the spirit arts. The empire would have gladly agreed to let them in and out, especially if they did not know that Ron was a spiritualist.

“I must go to the forest.”

Beher felt a little lighter in the chest, knowing she had a clue. She was excited to find out if there was any more hidden space. Then she heard a low voice.

“Miss, have I kept you waiting?”

Lucy brought out some warm tea and refreshments. Beher closed the diary.

‘Here’s your peppermint tea. It will cleanse your palate and help stabilize your mind and body, so please try some.”

The necklace on Lucy’s neck shone brightly.

“You usually serve tea, what kind of breeze is it today?”

Beher liked tea. It was a fact that Lucy naturally knew. So they decided that it could be any tea. If there was any difference, it was that the depth and temperature of the tea sometimes changes.

“You look serious, young lady.”

In fact, Lucy has been serving tea. However, with the serious look on Beher’s face when she read Ron’s diary, Lucy decided to serve her a useful cup of tea today.

Keeping this fact hidden, Lucy brought a strawberry cake for her.

“Atlan says strawberries are very good. Please try it.” 

The pink cake with bright red strawberries on top was a stunning sight. Beher took a piece with her fork and put it in her mouth.

The fresh strawberries spread all over her mouth with the cream that melted so smoothly. It made her feel good, as if her whole body was imprinted with happiness. She wondered if she had always had a sweet tooth.

Perhaps…it was Lucy, who was smiling at her with her chin propped up.

Beher stared at Lucy. Then she thought.

‘Why do you care about me so much? You don’t know everything about me. I wonder why you believe in me just because I know Ron.’

Lucy was just smiling naturally.

“Lucy.”

“Don’t tell me you are doubting my faith again?”

Beher blinked her eyes in surprise at Lucy reading her mind. Bewilderment dwelled in her pure eyes. Time seemed to stop, and the unknown red bird sat on Beher’s shoulder and tilted its head.

“You have always had a gift for reading people’s mind.”

“And you know that now?”

Lucy grinned through her white teeth like it was nothing.

“Hmmm. I guess I’m smiling thanks to you.”

“I’m glad you’re smiling because of me, Lady.”

“You seem to care about everything.”

“No way. I like it when you laugh. It’s as if my brother is laughing.”

What is the similarity between him and her? Beher didn’t know even after thinking about it for a while. Beher decided that she had to show Lucy the contents of Ron’s diary.

She didn’t want to draw Lucy in, but she couldn’t just stay where she was. She had to win this revenge, even if it was cruel.

“Ron wrote this.”

Lucy took the diary quickly, as if surprised. Her eyes moved impatiently from side to side.

“Lady.”

“Well…it’s not easy for me either, Lucy…”

“I don’t know what that means!”

“……?”

Naturally Beher thought she would understand. She was smart enough to teach her.

“I hate it when people talk about it in such a roundabout way. Something about the forest, I can only remember the forest of spirits…I don’t know the rest.”

Lucy was surely pretending to be stupid, she had to be acting.

“It’s the Forest of Spirits.”

“Is that right?”

Beher nodded and continued.

“I want to go into the forest of spirits and look for clues. Is there any way to do that?”

She wish she could hide and go in somehow, but it was too risky. Her father might be searching the area. Moreover, her contract with the Grand Duke Lucai did not allow her to leave the house without permission.

If she had to go, she would have to go with him.

“Why don’t you ask His Highness the Grand Duke?”

“That person?”

She was not sure if he would really do her a favor unless there was an advantage. This contract itself was not in her favor.

At that moment, one trick came to Beher’s mind. But she was not greatly confident.

Beher went back to her room. She remembered the method that she was surprised to think of. Beher leaned against the windowsill and sighed.

“…….”

She had decided to seduce Lucai. It was ridiculous. Perhaps Lucy would laugh at her if she knew. Suddenly, Lucai’s face filled with desire came to her mind.

Wet lips, hands grabbing her waist. And even his masculine scent.

Beher touched her lips with her fingertips. Lucai hadn’t touched her again since their first night.

But, it seemed like they had a cold war now. Even the temptation she thought might be impossible.

Was he tired of her?

What will happen when he, the only means of revenge, loses interest in her?

Maybe…maybe he will consider breaking up the marriage and bring in another woman. He was just someone who was there for her revenge. Nothing more, nothing less.

If he only listens to what she demands, that will be enough.

Still…she didn’t want his attention to go to another woman. She felt like she was being deprived of something that belonged to her. Her contradictory thoughts were in conflict.

Would he know her feelings? If he knew her black heart, he might point at her as a witch.

“What should I do with him?”

‘Can I seduce him?’

“Beher.”

It was unknown when Lucai came into the room, but he was looking at Beher in his uniform. Beher, who was leaning against the window, stood up and stared at Lucai.

”When…?”

When….Did he come in?