The duke's chamber

Chapter 5

"Surprise!" A voice exclaimed, and before the duke could react, soft lips pressed against his own in a tender kiss.

As the sweet kiss slowly ended, the villainess' eyes widened in surprise, her gaze darting around the room as realization of the identity of the person she had just kissed. Her mind raced with a flurry of emotions, ranging from disbelief to a strange sense of exhilaration.

Another slap resounded through the air as Kruhella recoiled in shock, her hand flying instinctively to the duke's face as she stared at the duke in disbelief. 

"Where's the crown prince?" she questioned, her voice trembling with a mixture of confusion and frustration. "And why are you in the crown prince's room?"

The duke winced at the impact of her slap, his expression a mixture of surprise and understanding. He took a step back, his gaze meeting hers with a sense of resignation. This is not the first time he received a slap. It was a second time with the same woman.

"The crown prince?" the prince replied nonchalantly, a hint of amusement in his voice. "He's in the palace. And for your information, this is my room."

The princess couldn't believe it. "Your room? Liar! Why did you enter the crown prince's room? Do you realize that trespassing into royal chambers is punishable by death?"

"I am not afraid to die," the prince retorted defiantly, his demeanor unwavering. "I have already faced death once before. And If you don't believe me, then, I will call all of my servants right here in an instant" the duke said. He knows how to play with words. Once he called all his servants, everyone in the duke mansion will become a witness that the princess Kruhella came inside his room, disguising as the dragon egg. It will become the hot tea of the whole kingdom.

*Hot tea – the subject of gossip, the popular topic

The princess realizes the duke's plan, so she proposed a new idea.

"Besides, I am the only one who asks for your hand in marriage. It will be a good start—" Before the duke could finish his sentence, Kruhella unleashed a destructive magic spell in the duke's room, shattering his small table into pieces.

"Say something nonsense again and I'll make sure to hit that face of yours," Kruhella threatened, her tone sharp and menacing. The duke gritted his teeth, his expression tense with frustration and anger.

The tension in the room thickened as the duke clenched his fists, his jaw set in a rigid line. Despite Kruhella's threat, he refused to back down, his own resolve matching hers in its intensity.

"Careful, Kruhella," he warned, his voice low and controlled. "You may have power, but I have authority. Let's not make this situation any worse than it already is."

Kruhella's eyes flashed with defiance, but beneath the bravado, there was a hint of uncertainty. She knew she was treading on dangerous ground, playing a dangerous game with the formidable duke.

"Tell me, where is the crown prince?" Kruhella ordered.

"I've already told you, he's in his palace, hiding underneath the emperor's coat," the duke replied.

"Don't insult my future husband," Kruhella snapped, growing increasingly angry.

"Am I not your future husband?" the duke inquired.

"No. Never!" Kruhella answered firmly. 

"You are wasting my time," Kruhella declared, poised to teleport away. But before she could, the duke interjected.

"I was ordered by the crown prince to slay the dragon and take the egg. It wasn't him. I heard it was supposed to be him, but he's a coward prince hiding inside the emperor's coat," the duke commented.

"Don't you ever, ever insult my future husband like that," Kruhella retorted angrily. With a burst of her magic, she shattered the duke's wall before disappearing.

Jon immediately run to the duke's room after hearing the loud sound.

"Master, what happened?" Jon asked, his face showing shock as he observed the shattered wall.

"The dragon just hatched. It flew away," the duke replied simply.

"What? But... a newly hatched baby dragon can't even move on its own yet," Jon commented in disbelief.

"It's up to you whether you want to believe me or not," the duke responded wearily, feeling exhausted from the conversation.

"Fix the wall immediately. I want to rest" the duke said, lying down to his bed. Not minding about the wall in his room.

"Yes, master" Jon replied.

On the other side, Kruhella safely returned to her room, her mind swirling with confusion and frustration.

"Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Is it really true that the crown prince didn't slay the dragon himself? Is it really the duke? That's impossible. If I remember-- wait, I can't remember who slay the dragon before. Who is it again?" Kruhella paced back and forth in her room, trying to piece together the fragmented memories of past events.

"Arghh! Never mind! I will make sure to win his heart no matter what. The festival is getting near. I'll make a move to get noticed by the crown prince, and then, he'll fall in love with me. And then... I'll survive the execution, ten years from now," Kruhella resolved with determination, her mind set on her plan to secure her future.

"But what's with that duke? I can't even remember him from my past life. Why did he suddenly pop up and ask for my hand in marriage? And now? He's the one slaying the dragon. Impossible. Luckily, no one saw me inside the duke's room. I don't want to be forced to marry him. I hate that bastard! I will make sure to kill him the next time he blocks me from making a move to my prince," Kruhella muttered angrily to herself.

She couldn't shake off the frustration of her meticulously laid plan going awry. Three months spent inside the dragon egg, only to end up in a different room, not inside the prince's chamber as she had intended. The disappointment fueled her anger, driving her determination to reclaim control of her destiny and eliminate any obstacles in her path.