So I Was the Persecuted Grand Duchess Destined to Die? Chapter 108

Chapter 108

Well… whoever it is, it won’t matter if I just kill them all.

Raphael Blanche curled his lips into a silent smile.

Just then—

“Good heavens, Raphael! Your face—!”

“What now?”

He turned to Isabella Rembrandt irritably, assuming she was about to launch into another bout of hysteria.

But then his own eyes widened.

“Don’t tell me…”

Isabella frantically touched her face.

The smooth skin she had always maintained was gone.

In its place—deep wrinkles. Sagging flesh.

Raphael realized the same had happened to him.

The only reason they had preserved their youth was the dark magic fueled by the mana flowing through Xavier Celeste’s heart.

The flow of mana… has changed?!

He grabbed the heart and examined it closely.

The pale blue mana that had once shimmered within it was shifting—

Like red ink bleeding into deep blue water—

Turning violet.

“This is…”

Something had gone wrong.

But not knowing what had gone wrong was worse.

Knock knock knock!

Urgent knocking echoed through the chamber.

“Who is it?! Do not enter—speak from there!”

Still staring into her hand mirror, Isabella snapped.

“Y-Your Majesty! It is the head maid! We just received word from the Second Prince’s palace—His Highness Felix… has disappeared!”

“Ah—!”

Isabella collapsed where she stood.

Even a woman hardened by countless storms could not endure this cascade of disasters.

“…So it’s finally begun.”

Raphael exhaled slowly.

Then, without hesitation, he severed the cord attached to the heart.

—Splurt!

Black, viscous fluid splashed everywhere.

He did not flinch.

Holding the now faintly violet-glowing heart in one hand, face smeared in dark fluid, he knelt before Isabella.

“Do not worry, my love. You are still beautiful.”

“Raphael…”

“This was a game we intended to start anyway. Our son merely hastened it. How commendable…”

He embraced her gently.

Behind them—

Something that had lain dormant—

Opened its eyes.

Meanwhile — Beneath the Temple at Dawn

Xavier suddenly stopped mid-step.

A sharp pain pulsed in his chest.

“Xavier? What is it?” asked Crown Prince Callian Rembrandt.

They were inspecting the restored underground passages with soldiers.

“…It’s nothing.”

He brushed it off.

But a bad feeling lingered.

Despite not having slept, he had been fine until now.

The sudden pain unsettled him.

Nothing happened to Renée… right?

He had made Ternox promise.

She should still be asleep.

And yet—

Whenever danger stirred—

The first face that surfaced in his mind was his wife’s.

Xavier clicked his tongue and kicked a stray pebble.

Callian frowned.

“Why are you glaring at me?”

Xavier merely shrugged and resumed walking.

We need to finish this quickly. Dawn’s already broken… I have to return before Renée wakes—

He froze.

Then abruptly turned around.

“What now?” Callian began—

“Who’s there.”

Xavier’s voice cut sharply through the corridor.

Beyond the bend—

A flicker of torchlight.

Footsteps.

Retreating.

Running.

Xavier’s sharpened senses locked onto the sound.

Catching small fry like this was effortless.

“Stop.”

“—Aaaagh!”

He caught up in an instant, stepping on the trailing hem of a long robe.

The fleeing figure tumbled forward.

The hood fell back.

Xavier’s brow furrowed.

“…Felix?”

Callian stared.

“What are you doing here?”

It was none other than Felix Rembrandt, the Second Prince.

“It’s—coincidence! I wasn’t trying to meet anyone!”

“…Then why did you run?” Xavier asked coldly.

Felix felt an overwhelming sense of déjà vu.

Unfortunately, coincidences had never worked in his favor.

Felix’s Perspective

Coming to the temple—

Running into Callian and Xavier—

It truly had been coincidence.

I can’t just sit in isolation.

Isabella had ordered him to remain confined.

But suspicion consumed him.

The last place the High Priest was seen…

That thought had drawn him here.

He hadn’t expected to find answers.

But staying alone would have driven him mad.

And now—

Standing before them—

Perhaps he had subconsciously wanted this.

Just speaking to someone eased the crushing loneliness.

Too much had happened in a single day.

And worst of all—

His mother’s insane plan.

Yet he had no trusted adult to confide in.

The teenage prince looked at the two men before him.

They are my enemies.

He couldn’t speak freely.

But Mother is insane. That plan is beyond madness—

“Wait.”

Callian suddenly took Xavier’s torch and stepped forward.

“W-What are you doing?!”

He raised the flame close to Felix’s face.

Felix recoiled.

“Ah. Pardon.”

But Callian did not lower it.

He stared.

“Your eyes…”

Felix’s breath caught.

He instinctively covered his eyes.

Which only made it worse.

“It was too dark before to notice. What happened to you?”

Despite their rivalry for the throne, Callian did not truly hate Felix.

His enemies were Isabella and Raphael.

To him, Felix was merely a foolish younger brother.

His concern was genuine.

But Felix misread it entirely.

Damn it. Of all people to find out—him.