I Ended Up Saving the Duke Who Was Meant to Die - Chapter 4.6
He hadn’t expected them to ask about her family name. Now that she had become the Duchess, many would show interest. He barely managed to pull down his slightly twisted lips as he spoke.
“I apologize, but I cannot tell you that.”
“You’re saying you can’t reveal her family name?”
“It’s not that I can’t reveal it – even if I knew her family name, there would be no information to find.”
Michaelo answered calmly. When he first met Irene, she couldn’t remember her own name. Thus, ‘Irene von Clementine’ was a name Michaelo had given her himself. But the Imperial family might fabricate information, so Michaelo didn’t tell the knight her family name.
Carben furrowed his brow in frustration and slammed the table. He spoke while trying his best to suppress his irritation.
“I heard you were the one who guaranteed her status. You must provide information about Irene von Blake, who is now a Duchess.”
“As you know, most who come to the temple abandon their previous lives.”
“Then is this Irene woman of low birth?”
Though he had told Severus she was of humble origins, the power flowing through her body was precious. Therefore, to Michaelo, Irene was not lowborn.
“…That child is different. I took her in by chance while on temple business in another country. Naturally, there would be no information about her within the Empire. Besides, who would make someone of low birth a Duchess?”
“That’s precisely why it’s strange. A Duke who rarely lets anyone close suddenly takes a wife – it’s natural for the Imperial family to be interested. If necessary, we might have to deal with that woman as well.”
A slight crack appeared in Michaelo’s previously expressionless face. No one could harm her. Irene was an existence he absolutely needed.
“I don’t care if the Duke dies, but that child must return to me completely unharmed.”
Carben’s eyes narrowed at seeing this sharp side of Michaelo for the first time.
‘Is she a cherished child? Then why send her to the Duke?’
His actions made no sense. The temple had always followed the Imperial family’s whims, but his current statement was practically defying Imperial authority.
“May I ask why?”
Michaelo clasped his hands together with a gentle smile. He had no intention of telling them about Irene’s power.
“That child belongs to the temple. Moreover, having been by the Duke’s side, she must know much about him. Isn’t that valuable enough? Above all, she follows my lead well.”
“Are you saying you deliberately sent that child to the Duke?”
Carben raised an eyebrow. If so, things made more sense. There was no way the High Priest would side with the Duke. But there were still parts that didn’t add up. There was no need for the Duke to marry in the first place.
“If that child becomes the Duke’s weakness, it will be easier for the Imperial family to deal with him. Would it make more sense if I said I planted her as a spy?”
“But I still don’t understand why the Duke would marry a priestess.”
“Doesn’t Her Highness the Imperial Princess want to make the Duke her consort? The Duke needed someone to marry, and I simply provided him with a justification.”
“Justification?”
“Yes, he is a man after all. It’s not strange to fall for a beautiful woman. Anyone can see that Irene possesses beautiful looks. She’s the only one who doesn’t know about what happens in the temple, so she has no hostility toward the Duke.”
“Wouldn’t that make her more dangerous?”
“It’s hard for sincerity to feel like deception. If the Duke lets her get close and creates an opening, wouldn’t that be better for us?”
“Is there no possibility of betrayal?”
“To that child, the temple and my existence are more than just special.”
At Michaelo’s conviction, Carben stroked his chin. Seeing those unwavering eyes, Carben let out a short groan. For the High Priest to go this far meant there must be something reliable about it.
“I understand. Then, I shall report this as is to His Highness the Crown Prince.”
“Nothing dangerous should happen to that child.”
“We’ll try our best, but if she becomes a hindrance, we’ll have no choice.”
Irene probably won’t become a hindrance. The Duke will make sure of that. Only then did Michaelo nod with a relaxed expression.
“By the way, has news arrived?”
“This time it must have succeeded. What could he do alone, trapped in the gate?”
The Emperor must have made up his mind. Is peace finally coming to the Empire? Michaelo wished Irene would return to his side as soon as possible.
“Hi-High Priest!”
The door opened with an urgent voice. A priest entered, glanced nervously at Carben, then lowered his voice to speak.
“In the central plaza, people are…”
“Catch your breath and speak slowly.”
“Well…”
At that moment, a knight waiting outside the door went to Carben and whispered something. His expression suddenly twisted, and he jumped up from his seat.
“It seems the mission has failed.”
“You mean the Duke has returned alive?”
Mission failed?
Michaelo felt anger rising at the words of mission failure. They had even selected decent mercenaries. They spent money since young priests might get caught, but it was all for nothing.
“Another failure…”
At this point, perhaps he was born with a destiny not to die. The Imperial family was desperate to kill him, but his life was so tenacious it showed no signs of ending. Moreover, with Irene by his side, he might live until his natural end as long as she helps him.
‘Irene, Irene.’
Michaelo felt stiffness in his lower body. His insides were boiling at having something he believed was unquestionably his taken away. His mouth was parched, and his thirst couldn’t be quenched. When she was by his side, he had been complacent thinking he could embrace her anytime, but now that she was out of sight, he was going mad.
‘I’ll have to bring her back soon.’
That’s why he participated in the Imperial family’s plan. He tried to believe it because the Emperor had assured him.
‘How stupid to be fooled like this.’
What did he expect from someone who couldn’t even handle his own affairs and left the cleanup to others? Michaelo irritably ran his fingers through his hair.
“I must return to the palace. If the Duke has returned, His Majesty must have heard the news by now. He must have deliberately shown himself to people.”
“Ah yes, the priest said the Duchess also heard the news and hurriedly returned to the villa.”
“…I understand.”
