Chapter 87
Chapter 87
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 87
Chapter Title: Shackles
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A massive tremor rocked the room, and Luna and I exchanged anxious glances.
"I'll go first! Hurry up and follow!"
With those words, I watched as Luna flung open the window and leaped out.
Down in the Grand Ducal Palace gardens, two figures were locked in combat.
One was Raoul, whose face I'd seen a few times before. The other was a short man with mysterious water-blue hair—a complete stranger to me.
Staring at the handsome guy who barely topped 160 cm, my gut told me instantly.
Is that guy Taylor?
The novel described him as having that enigmatic water-blue hair, so it had to be him.
Whatever the case, it looked like he'd stirred up a storm the moment he arrived.
Raoul was unleashing sword auras like he was out for blood, while Taylor shouted back at him and hurled spells.
A black-haired woman darted into the fray between them.
Luna shot forward like an arrow, slapping Taylor across the cheek... then driving her fist into Raoul's solar plexus, dropping him and defusing the situation.
What a shitshow... total shitshow.
At that moment...
A sharp killing intent pricked my skin.
Luna was beckoning me with her finger, her face clearly saying she wasn't thrilled that I was lounging against the window, watching leisurely.
Damn, her eyesight is sharp.
Non-Swordmasters have it rough.
She'd jumped out the window herself but was now sulking that I wasn't hurrying. With no way to win against that, I headed out of the Grand Ducal Palace too.
Of course, taking my sweet time getting down was my little secret.
I reached the Grand Ducal Palace gardens.
Luna laid into the two of them.
"What the hell is this? A duel in someone else's garden? Are you trying to get yourselves killed?!"
The first time I'd ever heard her voice laced with anger.
Was it just my imagination that it still sounded pleasant amid all that fury?
"Your Grace... But Taylor insulted my family."
As Raoul protested his innocence, Luna's gaze shifted to Taylor.
-Zing.
"Haha, isn't that right? The Black Knight's father was the weak link, after all."
Taylor's words crossed the line.
He was referencing the humiliation from before—when the Black Knight's engagement had been broken off, and the regent had succumbed to threats.
"Taylor!"
Luna exploded in rage at the mention, but Taylor just flashed a subtle smile and continued.
"Isn't it? If he'd spoken properly to His Majesty back then, there wouldn't have been any opening for the engagement to break, leaving no chance for me or Crown Prince to propose."
"You bastard!"
Raoul, unable to take it anymore, raised his sword high. The Tower Lord's disciple hurriedly ducked behind Luna.
"Grand Duchess Luna, this brute is harassing me. Please save me."
The oddly bright tone in his plea for mercy made him seem like a real asshole.
"Taylor!"
-Slap!
-Thud!
Luna slapped Taylor, sending him tumbling across the ground.
Taylor grinned broadly as he spoke.
"Looks like I crossed the line."
The shameless guy bowed politely to Luna.
"Anyway, it's been a while, Your Grace."
Luna scowled at Taylor's beaming smile.
"What are you doing here?"
"Well, with my fierce rival out of the picture, I came to check on my beloved, of course."
"Didn't I tell you before? I'm married to the Grand Duchy."
Taylor only offered a faint smile at Luna's menacing words.
"It's been a year since then. Hearts can change, can't they?"
"That won't happen."
"Hmm? Really?"
Taylor stared openly at Luna's face.
She nodded slightly.
"Yes."
"I see. Well... since I'm already here, I'll stay a few days and rest."
Luna's expression soured at Taylor's words.
A flicker of disgust crossed her otherwise impassive face.
I knew exactly why Luna felt such revulsion toward Taylor.
That guy was...
"Do as you like, but I won't tolerate any more fights. If it happens again..."
She paused, her eyes brimming with killing intent.
"I'll have you thrown out. Aiden, bring yesterday's merchant guild representatives' meeting report to my office."
Oof... scary.
"Yes."
Luna turned away brusquely.
Her eyes burned with deep fury.
That was when it happened.
Taylor's blue eyes swept over me.
"Ah... You must be Sir Aiden."
He rushed over and grabbed my hand.
"The Emperor's sworn brother, right?"
I pulled my hand free from his overbearing grip and said,
"Wh-what are you doing?"
He gave me an enigmatic smile in response.
"Just thrilled to meet someone so esteemed."
"I... I see."
Why was this guy showing interest in me?
As I felt bewildered,
"Aiden?!"
"Hurry and get that report. Stop dawdling."
At Luna's sharp command, I replied hurriedly.
"Yes!"
I started to excuse myself to Taylor, but...
"You seem busy. Go on ahead."
His smiling eyes made me uneasy.
Why was this guy getting so close to me?
In the original story, he never approached men like this.
That guy's true nature was...
"Aiden?!"
Startled by Luna's shout, I responded without thinking.
"C-coming!"
I followed her back into the Grand Ducal Palace.
"Aiden, I'm serious this time—stay away from Taylor. Don't even talk to him."
Her face was filled with genuine worry.
Knowing what Taylor was really like, her concern felt entirely justified.
He was that dangerous.
"Don't worry. I don't want to get tangled up with a psycho like that either."
Luna nodded at my words.
"Good thing you're the Emperor's sworn brother—he can't touch you carelessly. Still, be careful... He's completely unpredictable."
"I hope so."
I didn't want anything to do with that lunatic either.
I gathered the report as Luna instructed and headed to her office.
"So, the guilds plan to relocate those who couldn't repay their debts to the Grand Duchy."
But she seemed dazed, not fully focusing on my words.
Was Taylor's arrival that shocking?
"Uh... What? What did you say?"
"They're bringing in debtors and serfs to bolster our workforce."
"R-right? That could help with our labor shortage, but..."
Luna fell into thought for a moment.
"Debtors aside, aren't serfs risky?"
Her point seemed valid, but...
"It'd be an issue without other nobles' approval, but the guilds proposed paying the serfs to free them and handing over settlements to us."
"Ah... right."
Luna, still distracted.
She gathered her thoughts with effort and spoke heavily.
"Aiden... I think I know why that guy came."
Was there a reason? Or was he just his usual twisted self? Maybe he'd heard Raoul was staying here.
Whatever, I played along with her.
"Why?"
"Because the Crown Prince withdrew his proposal."
Her expression turned deadly serious as she continued.
"Think about it. The Crown Prince's authority is immense, so he couldn't act rashly before. But now that he's gone..."
"Ah? So if he just deals with Raoul, he'll be the only suitor left?"
Luna nodded slightly at my guess.
"Exactly."
Taylor, with his full-blown obsession, might indeed think that way...
But those two could never have a normal marriage anyway.
Because that guy was...
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ A maid showed Taylor to his room.
The moment he arrived, he tossed his luggage aside, shed his robe...
-Rustle...
And slowly stripped off his clothes.
Snow-white skin, flawless milky complexion.
If not for the flat chest and masculine build, he could pass for a woman.
-Snap!
He flicked his fingers, and his body gained curves.
Her chest swelled out, her waist cinched in.
Her refined face transformed into that of a stunning beauty, her Adam's apple vanished, completing her perfect female form.
That was her true appearance.
"Oops..."
Taylor rummaged in her crotch with a strange expression...
And pulled out something bizarre.
"Hope this one's to your liking?"
The metallic object gleamed, strikingly similar to a man's member.
"Tch, I was planning to be the one to take your virginity."
With a regretful look, she tossed the panty brief onto the bed and lounged on the sofa.
"Should I have killed that guy back then? No... If I'd done it then, I couldn't have avoided Luna's suspicion."
If she'd killed Aiden then, Luna never would have loved her.
Aiden's existence had been an unwanted variable for Taylor.
Her original plan was to pretend to save Luna from drug addiction and win her over that way.
She'd pinned the sinister scheme on the Crown Prince to claim Luna, but...
Aiden had survived, and he'd been the one to connect with her instead.
Taylor utterly loathed men.
She'd wanted to kill Aiden, but seeing Luna devour him like a beast, she couldn't make a move.
Killing Aiden in that situation would be as good as confessing she was the culprit.
So she'd swallowed bitter tears, watching their relationship from the sidelines, and now—with the Crown Prince gone—she saw her chance.
'If I turn Aiden into my puppet... Luna will be mine.'
Taylor drifted off, fantasizing about collaring Luna's neck and toying with her at will.