No Longer Your Puppet, Duke 의 모든 챕터: 챕터 101 - 챕터 110

Kaelus stared at Roselyn with a look of utter disbelief, laced with profound disappointment.A suffocating silence suddenly crept between the husband and wife, completely ignoring the weeping Countess Sirius, who stood dazed, waiting for her daughter’s defense.“Countess, could you please wait outside? Roselyn needs a moment,” Kaelus said, his voice strained as he tried to maintain a calm composure despite the palpable tension.“Of course.”Roselyn could feel the heavy weight of her husband’s gaze. Every silent second felt like an invisible stone crushing her shoulders. Yet, her mind was set, and nothing could change it—not even the wounded expression on Kaelus’s face.The middle-aged woman stepped out. Meanwhile, Kaelus gently yet firmly pulled Roselyn by the arm toward the soundproof dressing room inside their bedchamber. Countess Sirius stole a few lingering glances at the couple before finally closing the door.Once they were alone, Kaelus locked his eyes onto his wife. Once again

The towering spires of the Imperial Palace gleamed with a golden luster under the fierce midday sun. The grandeur of the white marble pillars and gold-plated ramparts felt as though they were suffocating Roselyn’s chest as her carriage passed through the main gates."We have arrived, My Lady," Matthew said, averting his gaze from the window as the carriage wheels slowed in the inner courtyard."Let us finish this as quickly as possible, Uncle.""Stay vigilant. You still have 'that item' with you, right?""Of course, I’ve had it with me since we left the villa."Her uncle smiled in relief, taking his niece’s hand to help her step down. Her feet hit the palace courtyard with grace.The imperial servants bowed deeply the moment Roselyn stepped out. She led her entourage down a long corridor filled with the fragrance of sandalwood and jasmine, walking under the sharp gazes of ancestral portraits lined along the walls.Two fully armored guards at the end of the hallway opened the doors. A

A stream of warm water washed over Roselyn’s shoulders. However, the aching bruises left by the rough grips from earlier that afternoon still stung her skin.She scrubbed her arm with soap repeatedly until the skin turned raw and red.'The blood is so hard to wash off,' she thought, continually attempting to scrape away the remaining dirt and lingering trauma clinging to her body.The mental image of masked hands dragging her to the wet earth tightened her chest every time she heard footsteps outside the door. Thus, she had deliberately locked herself inside the bathroom of the Sirius estate, refusing any assistance offered by the servants.However, the sound of the door sliding softly open made Roselyn flinch. Out of

A chilling dread prickled the nape of Roselyn’s neck as her eyes remained pinned to the aged sheet of paper resting upon the vanity table.The secret letter left by her late father—which should have been securely tucked within the folds of her nightgown—now lay completely exposed beneath the dim flicker of a candle.Roselyn’s steps faltered at the threshold, her breath catching as she scanned every inch of the silent master suite.She realized a new threat was lurking from behind the shadows of the Sirius estate.Matthew, standing directly behind her, instantly dropped into a guarded stance. The old man stepped past his niece with a dagger held quietly drawn in the air."Wait here, My Lady."

"What do you mean, Countess? Speak clearly!" Roselyn gripped the edge of the writing desk, her voice trembling as she held back the storm brewing in her chest.Countess Sirius glanced at the crescent moon pendant once more before releasing her hold on Roselyn’s neck. She stood up slowly and walked toward the room's south-facing window. The morning sunlight filtered through the glass, illuminating the Countess's face, which seemed to have aged rapidly since Roselyn had left the Sirius estate."You were not born from Vogard's first love, Roselyn. But that doesn't mean you are the only child born from his seed."Kaelus firmly grasped Roselyn's shoulders, feeling his wife's body begin to tremble violently.Matthew sto