Defeat of the Duke

"I simply did what she required of me to do. Recommend the new maid at the Marina household; then she was the one who covered everything after that. And we didn't see each other once the plan was completed." The Duke went on to say, his voice was shaky.

Hearing the duke's words, Malaya's eyes rippled with an unknown emotion.

"Your beauty shall be mine alone, and no one else's. So, unless you accept me, you must remain in this dungeon indefinitely. Hahaha!" She laughed sinisterly. Her once beautiful dark hair has turned into a hideous burnt-out scalp. Her formerly glossy smooth-skin face had turned horrifying, with a big scar across it. "I can't wait for the day when I'll be able to own this beauty."

When a line from The Fate of the Stars came to her, she wanted to hold her head. 'This is more mess up than I thought.'

"Do you have any further questions?" The Duke gritted his teeth. Malaya caught his glance as he shifted his sight to the sword on his left side of the table.

"I don't have anything else to ask, duke," Malaya said flatly.

"I'll go ahead and make my request now." Malaya took a brief halt. As she anticipated Malaya's next words, the Duke's hard stare got even more intense.

"My request is about to your son, Kristopher Taleba. I request for him to work for Malaya Veniziver Marina," she eventually said as she removed her mask. The letters that were fluttering about began to approach them. It radiated a bright light.

When he saw the familiar dark blue hair and light aquamarine eyes that didn't exhibit any emotion, the Duke felt he was going to have a heart attack.

"You!"

"As part of the contract, this is my true identity. Uncle." Malaya said.

The letters in the air became more strong, as did a sudden gust of wind that blew several papers and books around. "And Kristopher, he'll work for me until I no longer require his services. If you refuse, I will never be content, and both of you will perish."

'Whoah. 'I'm feeling very badass right now.' Malaya thought.

Dorris and Rein both stared at Malaya with disbelief. They had no idea this was the request their Lady would make. 'What is she thinking by making that rude brat work for her?'

"You! I will never follow the words of the garbage! I'd rather die, and I'd take you with me!" With a swift movement, the duke raced at Malaya with his sword.

Malaya had anticipated this and had already brought out her Trinity. But before their weapons could collide, someone else stepped in to block the duke's blade for her. It was Rein and Dorris at the same time. They forced the duke away from Malaya with Rein's sword and Dorris' scythe.

The duke collapsed to the ground, knocking down the chair he had been seated on before. The letters in the air shook even more fiercely this time. Then it charged right at him.

He felt the anguish of not answering the questions before again, but this time it was three times as painful. "Argh!" He fixed his gaze on Malaya. "I will not be swayed by your inclinations." He clenched his teeth and said.

The duke's body then began to glow a deeper crimson hue. "I'll take you with me when I die!" The Duke yelled.

Malaya's eyes widened. 'Don't tell me he's planning to self-destruct!'

"Young Master!" The guards on the outside of the room began yelling.

"Move!" With a loud boom, the door swung open, revealing Kristopher. "Father!"

The duke's eyes widened with dread as he heard his voice. "What are you doing here?" The crimson light on his body intensified, and nerves began to appear alongside the letters that were already plastered on his body. "Leave right now!"

'This is bad.' Malaya raised her left hand to Dorris. "Dorris!"

Dorris understood what her Lady wanted her to accomplish. She extended both of her hands in front of the Duke. She needed to totally transfer him away from here or else many others would die. All of the individuals working and living in the mansion would be afflicted.

"Father!" Kristopher repeated as he began rushing towards his father. But, before he reached him, he vanished entirely. "No! Father!"

Malaya and the others were shoved to the floor when a massive explosion erupted above the mansion. It severely damaged the mansion's roof as well. Making everyone witness the light and heatwaves coming from above.

Dorris, panting and sweating, managed to transfer the duke high above the mansion. She was unable to completely arrange the circle since it was too quick, and she only achieved this much, but it also placed a significant toll on her body.

It took a long time for the numerous explosions to happen. Finally, after some moment of time, a massive cloud of smoke in the shape of a Dahlia flower formed.

"You!" Kristopher drew his sword and raced to Malaya. His eyes were filled with wrath and contempt. "You murdered my father!"

Hearing his words, Malaya tightened her fist. Rein came behind Kristopher before he could reach her. He struck the enraged lad's nape with rapid and precise movements.

"I'm going to kill you..." Kristopher's final statement before collapsing in Rein's arms, utterly unconscious. The little minuscule of letters circling Malaya flew towards Kristopher's left wrist and transformed into a white bracelet.

"The last magical array has been prepared, Milady." They all looked at Dorris, who had turned quite pale.

"Let's go," Malaya said. "Bring him with us." 

Rein held Kristopher in a princess-carry manner as they walked on the magical array. The guards outside quickly sought to apprehend them, but they vanished before they could even approach them.

They emerged in Malaya's dorm's spacious living room. Malaya caught Dorris, who had also fallen asleep owing to exhaustion. She assisted in bringing Dorris to the sofa beside them and placing her there. "Thank you for your hard work, Dorris."

Dorris' sleepy features softened when Malaya said that.

"Bring the young master back to his room," Malaya instructed. Rein just nodded and began to walk away. Malaya sat on the solitary sofa near the one Dorris was resting on when she was the only one left in the room.

She clasped her hands and rested her elbows on the table. Then she leaned her head to her hand. 'I didn't anticipate him to self-destruct. Does he despise me so badly that he would commit suicide? Hah. The feeling is reciprocal.' Malaya groaned and reached into her purse for a little crystal ball.

"I took record on everything he said in response to the questions. With this, there is now a piece of conclusive evidence that he poisoned Malaya, and Grandfather's name will be cleared as well. But..."

Malaya cast a peek toward the location where Rein had brought Kristopher.

"Will you be able to help Kristopher if I let you borrow the seal?" Hyun Jae's words rang inside Malaya's head.

'This is really regrettable. Aish. Why does he have to be the only one with space magic?' As she ran her fingers through her hair, she laid her head on the sofa. Then heave a long sigh. She sat properly, folded her hands at her chest, and closed her eyes.

"Hear me, Oh Goddes of Light, Lumiera. I don't longer need him. Please free him from the contract." 

---⚓⚓⚓---

Rein placed Kristopher on his bed. Before he turned back with a talisman with him, he saw the white bracelet that was on Kristopher's wrist. It started to faintly glow and it disappeared in an instant. 

---⚓⚓⚓---

Malaya opened her eyes. "Hyun Jae, this is the only thing I could do for him."

"My Lady," She glanced when Rein suddenly called her out.

"Rein,"

"The young master now was sleeping comfortably. What do you intend to do with him when he wakes up?" 

"We will do nothing," Malaya said calmly. "And if he saw me he might just kill me," she said as let out a wry laugh. 

"Do you want me to erase his memories? He saw us there."

"No need." Malaya stood up. "Covering the problem wouldn't do us any good. With the death of the duke, he would be also busy handling the matters about the Taleba duchy. And besides..."

"Tha-that plant! That witch, she gave it to me!" Malaya's brows furrowed hearing the duke's second answer.

"Besides?"

"Nothing. I'm going to my room now." Malaya began to walk to her room while Rein offered a brief bow.

"Have a pleasant night, Milady."

Malaya paused for a bit then she reach out, the recording orb, she had got from the duke to Rein. 

"Bring it to the head of the Royal Court, and do it with the greatest discretion. That should be enough to resolve everything in this manner."

Before she completely left, "Ah. Rein. One more thing."

"What is it, Milady?" 

"Thank you for going along with my whims too." Malaya grinned widely before she turned around. 

A smile graced Rein's face. "As much as I appreciate your gratitude, Milady but I don't need that." 

Malaya stiffened from her walk. 

"Be sure to increase my salary and add a lot of bonus too."

"Tsk. Stingy Rein." Malaya muttered.

"Do you say something, Miady?" 

"Nothing. Alright, I'll do that." Malaya continued her walk as she waved the back of her right hand at Rein. "See ya tomorrow,"

---⚓⚓⚓---

Malaya took her notebook from her drawer as soon as she entered the room. And she simply gazed at it, her mind whirling with thoughts. She then placed the notebook on her table. She caressed her temples, then leaned back in her chair, gazing out the window at the heavy rain, which was now accompanied by lighting and thunder.

She stroked her hand's silver bracelet. The only thing she got to bring from Earth from that mystery sales lady she didn't even know about.

"There are less than two weeks remaining."

--⚓⚓⚓---

In a certain place, where everything was barely lighted.

"How sad that you sold me in such a way." A woman with dark hair and obsidian black eyes shook her head, dissatisfied. Using the mirror she had, she witnessed everything that happened in the estate.

"Seems to be that girl still alive?" Her lips curved into a smile. "Interesting."

The image in the mirror then transformed into a young boy with white hair and red ruby eyes. He was jumping between the trees in the woods. "And it appears that someone has managed to escape?"

As she peered out the window, it was pouring severely. A bolt of lightning struck, followed by a clap of thunder. "I've only been gone for a short period, yet there are already so many things going on without my knowledge."

The gorgeous lady's once beautiful look deteriorated into something horrifying. Her hair has turned into a burned scalp with few strands, and her face, which was once lustrous, now has a large scar across it.

"I want to see you soon, my darling son. Maybe even that girl." As she touched the mirror's glass, a wicked smile appeared on her face.