16 Chapter 16 - The duke

Coming into the light and a cup of tea in the duke's lobby had greatly calmed Ophelia's nerves down. However, she could not let her guard down around the Duke's presence.

The Duke had plopped down unto his desk and had placed a heavy-looking item which was thickly wrapped in white cloth.

"So, what do we have here?"

The Duke opened up a conversation, Ophelia wasn't in the right state to have such a conversation. Things have been taking a lot of turns and now she didn't have any of her guts left to spike up the conversation.

"Did you manage to save the young lord?" The Duke continued to speak as if he were aware of these happenings.

....'How does he know? Is the Duke the mastermind?'

She thought carefully of the possibilities. Someone else had all these things wrapped in their fingers. And for someone like the Duke to orchestrate it, it would have not been impossible.

"There's something I have to tell you and I also have a favor to ask of you." The Duke added, he had a dark expression on his face.

"I'm sorry but, do you know something about the curse?" Ophelia managed to ask. She had to make things clear.

"Ah…yes, I knew all of it…even back there in Roselia's room." He slowly disclosed himself to Ophelia, his voice sounded stern and low as if to prevent someone form hearing this.

'…So, it was really the Duke back in granny's room…' Ophelia gaped at him.

"Then two years ago…at the banquet, was it you also?" Ophelia wondered. The Duke paused for a moment before answering her.

"It's complicated…but yes I am the masked person you've encountered before." He answered, though there was hesitance when he had said this.

"I'm sure this is so much to take in for you, but I don't have much time to explain...So, I'll keep it short and quick." He glances at Ophelia's still figure.

"All of these are happening because of you…It's for your sake and his, and also the entire Empire…By now the young lord's curse would be gone, but it doesn't mean it will end there. Therefore, I have a favor to ask of you, Ophelia."

"Now that his curse will soon be lifted, I need you to stick by his side at ALL TIMES. This is for your sake, which is why I am also thinking of sending you two to the Eastern Empire until matters in the estate are fine." The Duke finishes off his deal with Ophelia. It was the only chance he had left and the only chance for the two.

Ophelia felt inclined to answer, but anyhow she still didn't trust the Duke with his words. Something was off about his aura, and Ophelia also couldn't remember why she had been adopted in the first place.

"How is this about me?"

'…so his curse is finally lifted now? Just like that…'

-

'...her memories haven't come to her...'

At this thought, the Duke leaned closer to Ophelia as he attempted to lower his voice.

"...You will know if you stay with the young lord...you don't have much time, you must trust me in this…you need to get out while you still can." The duke had stated as if they were planning for a conspiracy.

"Now, I shall resume to the way it would be..." The Duke began to scribble down a piece of agreement paper, he signed it in every page he encountered as if a land had been officially sold.

"Here, I'm sending you off with the crown prince as his personal attendant...And don't ever step foot in this place again, I'll arrange for things tomorrow."

The Duke seemed prepared for this moment and had gathered a few pens in front of the table as he handed down the papers necessary for Ophelia and Icarus to be officially handed down to their original land. It was like submitting two orphans in their new home.

(Knock, knock)

-

Icarus stood by the dim-lit door in front of him. He wondered if he would still meet the Duchess in the lobby, but maybe she would be in a different place because the curse in Icarus' side had act up too early for the original time.

(Knock, knock) Icarus pounded at the door. He was growing impatient to see Ophelia, what if she was dead? Or what if none of this were actually happening and it was just him hallucinating things again. In that moment nothing mattered to him. As long as the door opened and if Ophelia is still alive, then maybe he will know if this was reality or not.

"You're here"

A stern calm voice answered his knocking and the door opened lightly and Icarus walked inside as he gaped surprised to see the Duke. Inside was a pale looking Ophelia sitting at one of the Duke's guest chair, and Duke had returned to his desk with some few papers and pens at work.

'…what were they doing?'

Icarus wondered at the unreadable expression of Ophelia. Still, his eyes diverted to meet the audacious eyes of the noble Duke who had returned unexpectedly in the mansion at an unlikely time.

"As of this moment, I as the Duke of the estate, will revoke my right as your lord and return you two to where you ought to be."

The Duke handed the signed scroll with a seal to the baffled crown prince. Ophelia's signature was also on it, providing her the identity, not as Icarus' adopted sister but as a personal attendant that Icarus had chosen for himself without his knowing.

"I bet you don't have any idea what's going on your highness, but as soon as you head back in your country before that day comes. Everything will soon make sense for you."

The two felt taken aback and wasn't really in the same page with the Duke.

....' So his telling us to leave before Icarus would counter back again.'

Ophelia had thought carefully as she tried to assess what the Duke had been saying all this time. He seemed to be much more involved than Ophelia had thought, and even for herself. But what she couldn't get was why the Duke had demanded her to go with Icarus. Why couldn't it be Icarus alone?

On the other hand, Icarus couldn't connect what the Duke had been saying at all. In his mind, seeing Ophelia still sitting alive was enough to calm him down and it didn't matter much what the Duke had said. He was already planning on taking Ophelia with him in the Eastern Palace since the day in the lake, but he hadn't gotten the chance to tell her.

"I would also like to have a chat with the young lady someday..."

The Duke added before completely walking out the door and disappearing into the dark hallway.