So I Was the Persecuted Grand Duchess Destined to Die? Chapter 114

Chapter 114

“Archangel Griffin?”

So that monster from earlier—

They call it an angel?

And the “food” they mentioned…

Ugh…

I squeezed my eyes shut, nausea rising.

But something far more important had slipped through their conversation.

The returned Griffin is showing abnormalities?

Then what about Zenos—

No…

A dreadful possibility struck me.

My heart pounded violently.

My vision flickered black.

My bound fingers trembled.

But the priests, unaware of my panic, continued talking.

The Priest’s Death

“Y-Your Eminence… I…”

The young priest hesitated.

He must have had many questions—

About Raphael’s sudden aging.

About seeing me awake.

But he never got the chance to ask.

“Shh… It is all according to God’s will.”

Raphael whispered softly.

And then—

“Ghk—!”

Wind surged violently between them.

Energy rushed from the young priest’s body into Raphael.

It happened in an instant.

Flash—

The young priest aged.

Youth.

Middle age.

Old.

Then—

Withered.

Like dried wood.

His body collapsed like firewood.

Moments later—

It crumbled into ash.

“Hmm.”

Raphael brushed back his hair.

He was young again.

I shut my eyes immediately.

Thankfully—

He never realized I was awake.

His footsteps faded down the corridor.

Only when silence fully returned did I dare breathe again.

“Ha… ha…”

My heart wouldn’t slow.

Zenos…

How long had I been unconscious?

Did he know I’d been taken?

What happened with the Griffin?

“No. Stop.”

Negative thoughts only invite worse outcomes.

I forced myself to breathe slowly.

The priest had said the Griffin failed to eliminate its target and came to the palace.

The target—

Must have been Zenos.

He’s alive. He has to be.

I repeated it until I almost believed it.

Assessing My Situation

Now that I was calmer, I examined my surroundings.

A narrow limestone cell.

Damp walls.

Rust-eaten bars.

My arms were tied behind me, but my legs were free.

Cold seeped into my bones.

Teeth chattering, I forced myself upright.

“Ugh—”

Even that took effort.

I shuffled toward the bars and peered out.

A long corridor lined with similar cells.

The young priest earlier had mentioned the palace.

So—

This must be beneath the Imperial Palace.

They built prisons under here?

It resembled the underground temple I’d seen before.

How long had this been planned?

It didn’t matter.

Understanding them wasn’t important.

Escaping was.

“First, the ropes.”

I pressed my bound wrists against the rough wall and began sawing at the rope.

The bricks scraped against my skin.

Time passed—

Then—

Tap tap tap—!

Light footsteps.

Too late to pretend to be unconscious.

“—?!”

Someone stood outside my cell.

“Who’s there?”

I turned.

A little girl.

Seven years old, maybe.

Brown twin pigtails.

Round cheeks.

Completely out of place in this dungeon.

“Ah!”

She dropped the ball she was holding.

It rolled to the bars.

“Sweetie, why are you here?”

She hesitated.

From her perspective—

I must have looked like the suspicious one.

Fantastic.

I softened my voice.

“I’m not a bad person. I just don’t know what’s happening outside. Can you help me?”

She crossed her arms.

“Then why are you locked up?”

Touché.

“I… a bad man locked me here.”

“A bad man? The priest isn’t bad! You’re the bad one for saying that!”

Oh.

She picked up her ball defensively.

My stomach dropped.

“Wait. A priest brought you here?”

“You’re not?”

“No. I fainted during the chaos and woke up here. Look—my hands are tied. It hurts…”

I added a sniffle for effect.

Her gaze softened.

I pressed my advantage.

“I’m really not bad. Do you know House Celeste? They’re famous lately. I’m very close with the Grand Duke.”

Her eyes widened.

“Really?”

“Really~ I’ll show you the townhouse later.”

“Wow!”

She laughed and leaned closer.

Good.

Trust was forming.

I asked gently,

“So… how did you end up here?”