CHAPTER 28
“The situation has changed. We need the power of Black Breath alongside the strength of all the knight orders.”
Duke Asterios Tenebres.
The masked young man who claimed to be the younger brother of the former Grand Duke.
Yet Leodian felt that there was something oddly familiar about the energy emanating from the young man.
What’s more, his strength far surpassed even that of the swordmaster, the young duke.
‘No… He’s stronger than the young duke. He’s just hiding it.’
Even though it was concealed, Leodian alone could sense it.
The Emperor had already realized during their first encounter that this young man’s presence was anything but ordinary.
‘He must’ve expected I would notice.’
Surely Asterios knew of Emperor Leodian’s abilities.
Among the royal family, Leodian possessed the strongest dragon’s blood, particularly with the keenest sense to gauge the power of dragons.
‘Could it be… that he doesn’t care even if I know?’
A dry chuckle escaped him like a breeze.
It was exactly the kind of bold thought that fit the Asterios Leodian remembered.
‘But if he really is the true Asterios, how did his body grow so rapidly? And right in sync with Roziana’s age?’
Normally, that was something only the royal family could achieve.
Only those who inherited the blood of dragons experienced simultaneous rapid growth of body and mind.
‘If the real Asterios grew from a six-year-old to a young adult in one leap…’
Then it would suggest he carried royal blood.
But the Tenebres family had been established by the former Grand Duke, not by blood ties to the royal family. They were recognized for their merit, not heritage.
‘Unless…’
Leodian recalled ancient texts passed down in the Imperial family’s secret archives.
Passages that spoke of beings who were once dragons themselves, the original wielders of dragon power, manifesting in human form.
But that was just a myth, wasn’t it?
‘It can’t possibly be real.’
Half of it may be truth, half embellished legend.
‘There’s no way Asterios is an ancient dragon.’
His golden eyes narrowed.
There were still things he wanted to confirm, but now wasn’t the time.
Above all else, Roziana’s safety came first. That’s why… he decided to grant Asterios’s request.
If Mephisto were truly planning to attack the Imperial Palace, as the Tower had warned, and danger was imminent—
‘Then the young Asterios will surely reveal his true strength to fulfill his role.’
They’d both expose the suspicious duke’s identity and add another layer of protection for the princess.
Asterios’s proposal gave Leodian no reason to refuse.
“Regardless, summon the duke as soon as day breaks. The faster we prepare, the better. If the dark sorcerer really dares invade the palace, he’ll likely choose the day when the darkness is strongest.”
So before that, Leodian had to find a way to counter dark magic.
“The day when darkness is strongest—could it be the new moon?”
“Most likely.”
“That’s less than two days away.”
“I know. That’s why we need to set up a powerful barrier as quickly as possible. Tomorrow morning, we’ll gather to search for a way to resist the magic of darkness.”
“…Yes, Your Majesty.”
‘I thought I’d finally get to sleep peacefully now that Her Highness has returned…’
Dark circles formed beneath Cedric’s eyes. Another sleepless night ahead, for sure.
The Next Day
The knighting ceremony for Asterios Tenebres, second son of the Tenebres family, was conducted simply and swiftly.
The Emperor explained the urgency of the times and concluded the appointment by placing the royal sword on Asterios’s shoulder in front of the knight order and key nobles, naming him the personal escort to the Princess.
Finishing the morning ceremony, Asterios immediately made his way to Roziana’s side.
“Welcome, Sir Tenebres.”
As Asterios entered her chamber, the princess greeted him with a radiant smile, her beauty enough to make anyone forget to breathe.
“We greet the Duke!”
Fiona, Angela, and Thomas—Roziana’s assigned Gold Guardians—and her lady-in-waiting Marie all saluted him. Though they were tasked with her protection, Asterios was now their commanding officer.
“You may call me Asterios,” he said, kneeling before Roziana and kissing the back of her hand.
“Can I do that? You’re my official knight now.”
Roziana, now near adulthood, carried herself with grace and confidence. She was a beauty anyone would envy—not just in her eyes, but in everyone’s.
The thought made Asterios’s chest burn. But no one could tell—his face was mostly hidden by a white mask.
“His Majesty ordered preparations against a possible intrusion. The Tower Master was attacked. From today on, I must accompany you at all times.”
“I know. The Gold Guardians informed me this morning.”
“We’ll protect you too, Your Highness! Just like last time!”
Fiona spoke with solemn determination, the other guardians nodding firmly beside her.
It reminded Asterios of how Fiona had once served as a conduit during an attack of dark invaders when Roziana was just a baby.
Thankfully, the connection had worked then.
“Thank you, everyone. I feel so reassured.”
Roziana smiled sweetly at them.
“But, Sir Tenebres…”
Calling his name, she rolled it in her mouth as if testing it, then continued.
‘I never thought I’d say this name again… and to someone who looks so much like him.’
“Yes, Your Highness. Please, go on.”
“Do you know anything about the lost cage from the Magic Tower?”
“…Yes.”
Asterios looked at her calmly. Marie and the other knights hadn’t heard of it before and listened closely, curiosity piqued.
“What is it that the Tower Master was trying to protect so desperately? It’s strange that the ruler of the Demon Realm would destroy the entire Tower and now target the palace.”
Roziana had heard of it too—the Demon King’s Cage.
She didn’t know why it was in the Tower and not the Demon Realm, but even in her past life as the witch Erica, her older sisters had spoken of it.
‘But for some reason, they always seemed to hide the details from me.’
They’d laughed it off, calling it too dangerous and grotesque for a child to know.
‘Suspicious. I want to find out more this time.’
As if reading her mind, Asterios finally answered.
“It is a kind of prison designed to trap a chosen target.”
“A prison?”
“There are stories that Demon King Beelzeb used it thousands of years ago. The Tower Master deemed it too dangerous and brought it from the Demon Realm after Beelzeb’s fall, hiding it atop the Tower.”
“If it’s just a prison, why bother hiding it?”
“Because it’s not just any prison. The Demon King’s Cage is a magical tool that brainwashes the trapped target and bends them to the user’s will.”
Fiona and Angela gasped quietly at the horrifying revelation.
“There must be records of how the former Demon King used it?”
“…Yes. Beelzeb—”
Asterios’s golden eyes flared with restrained anger as he chose his words.
‘Hm? That looked like anger…’
Roziana noticed the subtle shift in his expression, even behind the mask.
“He kidnapped his chosen bride, locked her in the cage, and made her his.”
“Gasp!”
Angela couldn’t help but let out a shocked breath.
It was just as horrible as it sounded.
‘Is he angry because of his sense of justice?’
“She couldn’t endure it and died.”
“Oh dear… She wasn’t from the Demon Realm, was she? She sounds too fragile. Maybe she was human or something else.”
“She was a faerie.”
“I thought so. For a faerie, the Demon Realm itself would’ve been fatal.”
As Roziana nodded, Marie and the three guardians fumed, their righteous anger flaring.
“To kill a faerie just to satisfy his lust!”
“So wicked and cruel!”
“Well, he was a Demon King…”
Meanwhile, Roziana fell into deep thought.
And Asterios’s gaze on her grew more intense.
‘What is she thinking about?’
He wanted to know.
What thoughts were swirling inside that lovely head?
And how would she react… when she learned the truth?
‘Will you accept the choice I made?’
The choice he once made for her, believing it was for the best.
‘Will you forgive me…?’
The sacrifices he made to save her life.
Demon King Beelzeb lost his first bride for one simple reason:
Merging with a Demon King drained all the life force and abilities from the bride.
While taking multiple brides for power was one way, Beelzeb had discovered something else.
He realized he could obtain immense power from just one.
A singular existence—someone from the Middle Realm.
Erica.
Beelzeb’s second target.
That very person… was none other than the witch, Erica.
