Chapter 54
54
Ramona stood before Nancy, concealing something in her arms. She kept looking back, showing signs of unease, before handing Nancy a piece of paper.
"What's this?"
"I secretly took it from Laurent Seradu's bedroom."
"What?"
Nancy stared at Ramona with a half-dazed expression. Even though she herself had lived as a maid since she was young, she had never acted independently without being ordered by her superiors. But Ramona was different. She was excessively proactive.
"You stole it?"
"Yes. It will be helpful to Lady Akman."
Nancy unfolded the paper Ramona handed her with a dumbfounded expression. However, it was densely written in an unknown Landes language, so she couldn't understand the content at all.
"What does it say?"
"It says that Laurent Seradu instigated her brother, Allan, to kill the deposed Empress and sent him to Helland."
"What? Kill the deposed Empress?"
Nancy was so surprised that she dropped the paper she was holding.
"But he was discovered, and the Seradu family suffered retaliation from the Red Army instead."
"Good heavens!"
Nancy was too shocked to say anything for a while. To plant a spy next to her to find out that Maria had hidden assets, and then try to kill her. Well, if Maria died, Henry would automatically divorce her, and the assets would be gone.
'She was trying to put me in trouble?'
Even so, Laurent was a very scary woman, unlike her appearance. To dare to send someone to Helland to kill Maria. No, the Seradu family was famous for their swordsmanship. There were rumors that if Landes went to war with a foreign country, even the emperor of that country would ask the Seradu family for help. That's why the paladins of the Stuart Dukedom couldn't stand up to them.
"But how did you know about this letter?"
"My sister told me."
"Ah, you said she was an astrologer."
"Lady Akman, can't you trust me yet even after this? How great must my sister's resentment be to do this?"
As Ramona spoke tearfully, Nancy approached her.
"No, I trust you. And thank you."
Nancy patted Ramona's shoulder. That's right, how could she forget the oppression she suffered as a child? If it were her, she would want to take revenge somehow. Even if she couldn't completely trust Ramona, it was certain that they were on the same side, at least. If their goals were the same and their interests were somewhat aligned, that was what made them allies. It was a cleaner relationship than giving your heart and making unconditional sacrifices.
Just then, boom! Crash! A tremendous roar echoed, and everything shook as if there was an earthquake.
"Eek!"
Nancy and all the maids covered their heads with their arms and fell to the floor. After a while, a servant ran up to Nancy and informed her.
"Lady Akman, please evacuate! The Red Army has invaded and is turning the Main Palace upside down!"
"The Red... Army?"
Nancy looked at Ramona with wide eyes. As she said, Laurent had caused a big accident. Moreover, the late Empress's banquet would be held in a few days. It seemed they had deliberately timed their arrival.
"Lady Akman, hurry to the Main Palace and be a strength to His Majesty."
Ramona urged Nancy, thinking this was her chance.
"What? Y... Yes."
Nancy carefully tucked Laurent's letter into her arms and caught her breath.
* * *
Henry, who was handling state affairs in his office, headed to the Grand Assembly Hall. He was so surprised by the roar and vibration. But what unfolded before his eyes was unbelievable. The Red soldiers of Helland were rampaging through the Main Palace, destroying everything. Moreover, a menacing man was sitting squarely on the throne. He was as huge as a bear, his face was fierce, and his whole body was covered in tattoos of unknown meaning. In addition, he had thick gold chains wrapped around his neck and shoulders. He held a ferocious iron mace and swung it around in the air.
"Who... are you?"
Henry's voice trembled.
"I am Taman. Sent by the Great King of great Helland."
Every time Taman spoke, light flashed from his mouth. It seemed his teeth were capped with gold. Also, he had his feet on a large, ornate box and showed no respect to Henry, the Emperor of Lastonia. Instead, he chuckled and kept shaking his buttocks on the throne. When the Imperial Guard, who had rushed over, pointed their weapons, the Red Army also took out their ferocious weapons and confronted them.
"Insolent! Get off the throne immediately!"
Even though Henry shouted, Taman ignored him, picking at his ears. He tapped the box he was stepping on with his foot as if to show off and said.
"Take it, it's a gift."
"What? You are worse than beasts."
He already knew that the Hellanders were barbaric, but he didn't know it would be to this extent. Still, Gunther showed at least a bit of a king's demeanor, but his subjects were utterly arrogant. No, a king's demeanor was bullshit, Gunther grabbed his neck and gave him all sorts of humiliation. But the man named Taman was like a beast who couldn't understand human words at all. If he had known this would happen, he wouldn't have sent an invitation to Monica's birthday party.
Of course, he had sent it as a courtesy in case they raised objections. He didn't really expect them to come this quickly. Just in time, the late Empress Monica, Laurent, and Nancy arrived at the Grand Reception Hall with their maids. They were shocked to see the ruined Main Palace. Among them, Laurent's face was already pale.
"If you've been given a gift, you should open it. Why aren't you opening it!"
Taman lost his temper and smashed a statue next to him with his iron mace in an instant. Soon, servants and maids screamed and prostrated themselves on the floor.
"Bring it."
Henry maintained his composure as much as possible and ordered the servants. Then the servants went up to the platform where Taman was sitting, picked up the box, and placed it in front of Henry.
"Open it."
When Henry ordered in a low voice, the servants opened the lid. Instantly, a pungent smell of medicine filled the air. No, it was a mixture of the smell of medicine and rot. And Henry was so surprised by the contents of the box that he took a step back.
"Eek!"
Monica screamed when she saw inside the box and fainted, and Laurent collapsed on the spot. Because it contained the heads of her brother and father. She stared blankly at Henry and the heads, like a person whose soul had left her body, before bursting into tears.
"What... does this mean?"
Henry, unable to bear it any longer, asked Taman. There must be a reason for giving Laurent's brother and father's heads as a birthday present for Monica.
"The younger head among them invaded the Helland Royal Palace and kidnapped Maria."
"Kidnapped? For what reason?"
"What reason? You're really stupid. Of course, to kill her."
"Kill? Are you talking about Maria?"
Henry repeatedly asked Taman with a face that he couldn't understand at all. What reason would they have to kill Maria without his permission? When Henry looked at Laurent, she shook her head with tears streaming down her face. She strongly denied it, as if she knew nothing about it.
"That can't be. There must be some misunderstanding."
"What a load of crap. What misunderstanding?"
Taman shouted angrily and told in detail what had happened at the time. Allan Seradu had not only bribed witches to invade the Helland Royal Palace but also kidnapped Maria. Not only that, but he had even made Maria write a statement giving up her remaining assets and then pushed her off a cliff.
"No! This is slander!"
Laurent jumped up and shouted. She didn't even stutter this time.
"The deposed Empress made it up. She's doing it to get revenge because she hates me!"
"Well, Maria did hate Laurent."
Henry shook his head and denied it. Besides, Maria was smart, so she might have cleverly plotted. As soon as she went to Helland, she won Gunther's favor and made a meticulous plan. Henry spread out his palm and recited the curse Maria had written.
'Maria is trying to get revenge on me.'
No matter how he looked at it, he couldn't believe the words of those beast-like men. Barbarians who commit slaughter for no reason. If he had to believe something, it would be Laurent rather than them.
* * *
Maria moved flexibly on Gunther's waist. He groaned like a beast, grabbing Maria's breasts. As she watched Gunther react differently depending on the expression of her desires, she became even more aroused. When she changed positions and conquered him, it felt like her narrow body was filled with Gunther. At first, it was difficult even to straighten her back, but soon her wet bodies touched, and her body moved on its own.
"Ah... Ugh!"
Maria threw her head back and moaned. Sex could be this thrilling. Gunther drove her to ecstasy every night. She grabbed his firm chest and pushed him faster.
"Your body is so good."
In the past, she would have thought it was a shameful thing that she couldn't even dare to say, but now she freely expressed her desires. Gunther immediately lifted his upper body, put Maria's beautiful fruit in his mouth, and savored the sweetness. He couldn't help but be unable to stand the sight of the swaying scenery in front of him.
"Your breasts are so sweet?"
Gunther said playfully, revealing his teeth. But how sensual his face was, smiling with one corner of his mouth raised, Maria swallowed hard. Instantly, pleasure rushed in, and climax was imminent. Maria was faithful to her desires. Her head was filled with fantasies of doing all sorts of decadent and lewd things with Gunther as she ran towards the end.
"Do it harder."
Soon, Gunther poured out his desire from below, and Maria trembled all over.