Marked By The Cursed Alpha Prince のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 51 - チャプター 60

LucianLayla shifted, her small, delicate hand moving to caress the coarse rope-like scars that crisscrossed the skin over my ribs and collarbone. The touch was feather-light, but it made me aware of every ridge and furrow. “What are you doing, my wife?”Her eyes were the color of dark soot and she looked up at me. “Wondering how you got so many scars,” she asked, her voice a low, thoughtful hum.I offered a dismissive shrug. “Must have gotten them here and there. A sword here, a skirmish there.”The lightness in my tone did not reach her. She looked sad for a while, her gaze fixed on a particularly deep scar near my shoulder.“What happened, Layla?” I asked, tilting her chin up.The question she asked was the one I never expected anyone to ask. “Must you go to all the wars, Lucian?”I was a warrior. That was the purpose of my life. To defend the borders my father died defending. I was cursed. I had no utility. If I don’t defend, I would be deemed a devil, a subject of horror folklore

Layla"Tell Princess Arielle not to play pranks with me," I said, trying to sound firm despite the awkwardness. Rosie, unlike Daisy, was blissfully unaware of the potent potions I was capable of concocting or that I possessed a secret I guarded closely. "And stop accepting letters from her. She will put us in serious trouble someday."Rosie pulled out her small leather-bound notebook and a charcoal pencil. "What exactly shall I write her, Layla?""Write exactly what I just told you," I repeated, rubbing my temples. When Rosie finally left, I let out a long shuddering breath. The stress of managing a secret life of posion master while simultaneously maintaining a proper lady’s facade was exhausting. I walked over to the small marble table where a white pigeon was currently pecking at a stray crumb and a rolled-up scroll was tied neatly to its leg.I untied the scroll. It was the letter that had arrived just moments ago. My heart quickened when I saw the familiar script and daisy flower

Lucian“A kingdom does not fall when it is attacked from out,but when it devours its own from within.” — Lucian Stark“It has happened for the first time in one hundred and fifty years,” Prime Minister Ashbourne announced, his voice controlled and sharp as it echoed through the Great Court of the Lunaris Empire, “that an alternate government has been established within our sacred borders.”The court reacted at once. Lords leaned toward one another. Some whispered in anger, others in fear. A few stayed silent, their eyes cold while already measuring profit and loss.Ashbourne waited for their answers. “This is not a rumor,” he continued. “This is not a border clash or a short-lived rebellion. This is not a problem that will solve itself. What we face now is a direct challenge to the authority of the Great Lunaris Empire.”He turned slowly toward the throne.“My King,” he said, lowering his head just enough to show respect, “the royal army led by Prince Lucian suffered a severe defea

LaylaSora accompanied me to the construction site that morning. The sun was soft, but the air still carried the coolness of the early autumn night. The crystal clear lake lay before us reflecting the sky like polished glass. Along its edges, neat and orderly wooden barracks had already been raised, and beside them a larger wooden structure was slowly taking shape.Sora stopped walking.She stared at the lake, then at the buildings, her eyes wide with surprise. “It’s beautiful,” she said honestly. Then she pointed toward the half-built structure. “What is that for?”She clasped her hands behind her back and walked ahead, studying everything carefully. There was curiosity in her steps, not the dull obedience I usually saw in servants.This girl was supposed to be a servant in a noble house. Yet she didn’t walk like one, didn’t speak like one, and didn’t look like one. Yes, she worked alongside the other helpers in the Prince’s mansion after Daisy brought her here, but something about h

LaylaThe hot water embraced me, scented with the soothing fragrance of essential oils and the delicate perfume of flowers. I sank deeper into the porcelain tub, the warmth leaching the tension from my muscles. A faint, earthy aroma lingered. It was a result of my recent "experiments." What were initially meant to be potent, nefarious concoctions and some failed poisons, in truth, had surprisingly yielded beneficial, if unintended, results. These experimental oils, though useless for my original dark purpose, were remarkably good at keeping my skin soft, hydrated, and deeply moisturized.A soft click of the door latch startled me from my daze. It had to be Daisy. I had insisted she join me as I was urging her to take a much-needed rest. The poor soul had been relentless in her study. She was surrounded by reading spell books. Her exhaustion was visible, and I had practically ordered her to set aside her work and relax in the comforting heat of the bathtub."Come inside," I called out,