End is Near

"Darn it!" Izekiel cursed as they found themselves back in prison, this time joined by Napoleon and Arthur.

"I'm hungry!!" Arthur complained, rubbing his stomach.

"Tsk. This is all Ludwig's fault. Fuck that guy!" Napoleon grumbled.

Ludwig had managed to escape when the guards' attention was diverted to them.

"That traitor," Izekiel clenched his fist.

"Now, who will help us escape? I'm sure they've increased the guard presence to ensure we don't get away again," Cedrik said.

"Our only hope is Valentine, I hope he finds Kaye quickly," Napoleon said.

"Kaye???" Izekiel looked at him in confusion.

Right. He still didn't know that his wife wasn't the real Aria but Kaye. It wasn't the right time to explain, and Izekiel must not find out yet.

"Don't mind me," Napoleon said, glancing at the others. They all looked away, concealing the truth.

Arthur was also puzzled; Napoleon and Valentine had been calling the empress by different name since they arrived. He was indeed curious, but this was not the time to delve into those matters. Their top priority was to find a way to escape.

.

.

Valentine couldn't go out this time; the guards numbers had increased and were maintaining a vigilant patrol. While confined in a vacant room, he began to devise a new plan to find Aria.

As he contemplated his plan, a crow rapped on the window. He furrowed his brow, approached the window, and opened it. There, he noticed a small paper tied to the crow's claw.

.

.

Aria's condition was indescribable. She appeared pale, with disheveled hair and swollen eyes from nights of crying. Despite her current state, her beauty still shone through.

Gilmesh noticed her state and summoned a servant. "Dress her properly, I don't want to see her like that again," he ordered. The trembling servants rushed to take care of her.

"When you're finished, join me for my meal," he said before leaving.

An hour later, he heard footsteps entering the dining room. He looked toward the door and saw the beautiful empress walking toward him. She bowed but remained silent.

"Come, join me," he said with a grin. Having this woman was a jackpot. He now understood why so many men were infatuated with her. No woman in the empire could rival her beauty.

Aria carefully sat down and began to eat in silence. The tension between them hung heavily in the air, and her hands shook as she ate.

"The imperial doctor will visit today to check on your condition. You need to take care of your body," Gilmesh said.

She scoffed, "After killing my own child, now you want me to get pregnant and bear your child!" She stabbed the table with her knife.

Gilmesh remained composed, unfazed by her actions. "This empire needs a new ruler. Aren't you happy? You once dreamed that your child would be the future ruler of this empire. I'm just fulfilling your wish."

"Not with your child! You filthy monster! I promised I would kill the child!" she warned.

His expression turned serious, and he forcefully grabbed her chin. "Dare to kill it, and I won't stop until you become pregnant again. We have plenty of time to create a baby," he smirked.

Aria trembled, unwilling to do it with him any longer.

Their exchange was interrupted when a guard arrived, bowing before them. "Your Grace, the ministers have arrived," he reported.

Gilmesh released her and gazed at her once more. He smiled and gently caressed her face. "You're stressed again, darling. Don't worry, I'll come to your room immediately after my meeting with the ministers."

Aria's face turned pale. No!

Smirking, Gilmesh left her, and Aria sat on the floor, trembling. With many guards around, it seemed almost impossible to escape.

.

.

"Marrying the empress?" Minister Cruz raised an eyebrow. Was the Duke also bewitched by the empress?

"I have to marry her to gain control in the empire, she's the empress. I'll have her bear my child and make our child the new emperor," Gilmesh explained.

"So, you mean you're going to use the child and turn him into a puppet, just like how you used to control the previous emperor?" Minister Rodriguez inquired.

"Exactly!" Gilmesh affirmed.

"Hmm, that's not a bad idea. We need a new ruler right now, especially since the emperor has been captured for his crimes. But it could take years to groom your child as the new ruler. We need a new ruler now," Minister Guzman chimed in.

"That's why I'll marry the empress and become regent," Gilmesh grinned. If he became the regent, he could rule the empire until his child reached the right age to assume power. Gilmesh's cleverness shone through.

"Did the empress agree to this? I bet she threw a fit and cursed you to death," Minister Cruz laughed.

"Haha, as if she had a choice. I'll put her to good use, it's a waste to let her rot in prison with the others," Gilmesh declared.

"When are you going to execute the prisoners?" Minister Rodriguez asked.

"Soon," he answered.

The empress' consorts were still missing, and Gilmesh had no idea what they were planning. However, he was determined to secure power before they could make a move.

.

.

....

"Ack!"

The guard fell to the ground as Valentine sliced his throat. He had taken another life, committing another sin.

"Holy God of Light, please forgive me for my sins," he muttered.

He carefully concealed the guard's body and continued his search.

It was clearly written on the letter.

Xerxes.

He couldn't believe it.

He hid when he heard the approaching guards.

"I'm so tired. How much longer do we have to patrol?" one guard complained while yawning.

"The Duke is terrifying. Did you see how he dealt with the guards who let the prisoners escape?" the other guard chimed in.

As the guards left, Valentine resumed his search.

.

.

"Tsk, my brother is still missing. Where on earth could he have gone?" Nikolai muttered to himself as he walked toward the imperial palace.

He hid when he spotted a significant number of guards guarding the palace gates.

"Damn, how am I going to get in?" he mumbled.

Nikolai heard from the ministers that Aria was about to marry Gilmesh. The news infuriated him. That bastard!

His thoughts were interrupted when someone from behind grabbed him and covered his mouth to prevent any noise.

.

.

....

Aria opened her eyes and shifted her gaze to the Duke sleeping beside her. This was the first time he had stayed in her room to sleep. Usually, he left her alone and retired to his own chamber once he was finished with her.

She saw this as an opportunity and carefully retrieved the steak knife she had hidden under her bed. Go die! she thought, ready to strike, but Gilmesh quickly grabbed her hand. "I knew you would try this, darling," he said, swiftly taking the knife and tossing it aside.

"I've been trying to be nice to you so you can retain your title as empress, but you keep pushing my patience!" he snarled as he attempted to kiss her, but she bit his lip, which earned her a harsh, stinging slap. "You wench!"

"Just kill me!" she cried. "I'd rather die than become your wife! Kill me!"

Gilmesh couldn't contain his anger any longer. He yanked her hair forcefully, causing her to cry out in pain. "If that's what you want, then I'll grant your wish, you useless woman!" He dragged her out of her room while still holding her by the hair.

She screamed, but Gilmesh paid no heed to her cries. Gilmesh was a short-tempered man, and dealing with Aria was becoming increasingly troublesome for him. If she refused to obey him, he would end her now. He also had no intention of letting any other man have her. Regent or not, he could devise a new plan after dealing with her.