The Astrid's military guards, and the elite knights completely turned upside down the Carlyle Palace. The Crown Princess and the noble ladies who organized and attended the tea banquet, as well as the royal servants, were being investigated and held for a day. The wizards went through everything, even the drinks and food that had been made, but they were unable to find any components that might be considered poisonous.

The Carlyle Palace was surrounded by the Astrid's elite guards as if a coup d'état were about to take place. Nobody can leave even members of the royal family. Sebastian made a dreadful threat that he would set the Carlyle palace on fire if they failed to deliver him the palace maid who was last seen in the royal salon just before the Duchess passed out.

Hugo's father ordered him to track down the palace maid and investigate whether the Crown Princess was involved. They experienced the Duke's direct threat to their throne for the first time. King Joseph remembered Sebastian's exact words.

"Remember who bestowed this family its wealth and power. I can always take it back. Bring me the maid and I will spare this family from destruction".

The King's fear has come to fruition. He had always known that the glory and fortune they had enjoyed for so long would one day be taken away. But he finds it impossible to accept that his son's marriage to a woman of low birth will destroy their family.

Hugo drags Ara into their room and slap her hard in the face. "Was it you're doing? Did you put the Duchess' life in danger with your schemes? Answer me!".

Ara rubs her burning cheeks and shivers as she casts a ferocious gaze at the Crown Prince.

"I didn't do it! I'm not that stupid to do it here inside the palace".

"Hah! So, you will do it then if you have a chance?". Hugo nearly strangles her by grabbing her throat. Then, as though she had no value, he throws her to the ground.

"Hahahahaha! Don't act as if your innocent Crown Prince. Have you forgotten? You were the one who devised the poison scheme and set her up. Shall I tell Sebastian of your dirty deeds before her exile?"

Ara paused for a moment to catch her breath before bursting out laughing uncontrollably. Hugo was about to choke her once again when Ara continued to threaten him.

"We are in this together. If you destroy me, I will bring this monarch down."

Then, as she drew nearer to him, she said in a low voice, "So, my Crown Prince, forget your desire to win her over. Sebastian won't hesitate to snap your neck if you touch his priceless possession."

She smiled triumphantly at him as Hugo gave her a deathly stare and stormed out of the room.

Ara sorted herself and went to the table to write an urgent letter to her Master. She wanted to know if her Master made his move and sent his servants to sabotage her.

Who was that maid who was so stupid to cast a strong spell inside the palace and attack the Duchess directly? She seems so fearless of the Guardian's wrath. Now the stupid maid has ruined her plans to infiltrate the Astrid Castle with her people.

Ara has to think of her new strategy, but first she must determine whether the dark sorcerer is on her side or not.

'I won't let you throw me away like a worn-out tool. I will kill Rachel by myself and drag you all to hell with me'.

***

The moment Sir William discovered the Duchess lying on the floor with a pale complexion, he was so horrified that his whole body shook with terror. Even though he possessed a powerful magic mana, yet he couldn't sense the dark spell outside the room. A high-grade magic can only be summoned by a sorcerer of high rank, it looks like the dark spell was cast by a very powerful sorcerer. The Dark Master must be connected to a member of the royal family if he was able to infiltrate the Carlyle palace using a palace maid vessel.

The Duchess hasn't woken up from fainting. The air in the Astrid castle has grown dreary, and everyone's breathing has become tense due to the Duke's extreme rage. If the Duchess doesn't wake up, they can surely say goodbye to their existence. Even her head lady in waiting was subjected to questioning along with the other security personnel who were guarding her. They were all walking a fine line while hoping the Duchess would wake up soon.

The Duchess's body is lying motionless on her bed. Aldworf, the Master Wizard and healers, had already used their power to wake her body, but they were unsuccessful. Even a medical doctor is powerless since he can only perform his duties on a physical level. There has been no sign of her waking up for a day already.

For the first time in his life, he experienced fear. Before meeting the "soul" that resides in Rachel's body, he had never heard the word "fear." His very own existence is being consumed by this terror, and even breathing is painful because he is so afraid of losing her. He could never allow her to go back in her world. He did not give her the permission to leave.

He was whispering to her while holding her cold hand close to his face in the hopes that she would hear him.

"Wife, you have to wake up. You can't leave me yet.... I can only experience this emotion because of you. You are the only source of life I have because everything else around me is lifeless...My wife, I need you here with me...please".

Sebastian kept whispering until he felt her hand twitch. He called Aldworf and the Master Wizard quickly appeared to examine her condition. As he cast a strong spell, he found that Rachel's mana is stable, but her core appears to be blinking. Once the core retires, the vessel will cease to exist. He doesn't have the power to repair a core, only the Creators can do this. Even a high-grade White Sorcerers can't fix a core for it is designed not to be altered by non-celestial beings.

"You Majesty. If you allow, I have to say a few things".

"Tell me, what is wrong with the Duchess?". Sebastian frowned while granting him the permission to continue.

"The Duchess' core is severely damaged. Her strong mana effectively concealed it, so I hadn't noticed it before. Right now, her core is slowly dissipating."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Your Majesty, it appears that her Solar Plexus has undergone a serious trauma. This.... a trauma caused by being confined in small space." As he continues, Aldworf lets out a loud sigh. "This trauma is typically present during childhood. It was deeply embedded and not healed in the Duchess case."

Aldworf continues to let out a long sigh. "If she does not wake up, I'm afraid the vessel will give up on its own".

"Hah! Did I permit you to utter nonsense? Summon the Pope. I want him here now!" Sebastian commanded in a tyrannical voice that caused the entire staff to quake in terror.

"For disrespecting his Majesty, please punish this mere subject." Aldworf knelt while awaiting his punishment.

Sebastian simply gives the Master Wizard a dismissive glance. Before leaving, he turned to sneak a final glance at his sleeping wife.

'Who could have confined her as a child?' Sebastian's ominous glare intensified. Once he finds the culprit, he will be the one to drag the perpetrator to hell, where he will regret ever having existing in this damn world.

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*Angst vibe song for this chapter: Elastic Heart by Sia

Devil & Angel (My ML & FL)

*photo used not mine. Taken from pinterest, all credits and rights to the original owner.