I Am The Evil Duchess

S2: LIV

"Duke?"

The one who spoke was Zehin, for some reason, I felt a terrible shiver running down my spine when suddenly, a flock of crows flew towards the direction of the Imperial palace.

'What is this uneasiness...'

"Should we retire now?" I look at my butler and said nothing. I don't know why I suddenly feel like something is wrong, I feel my heart beating so fast in my chest and my hands are getting cold for no reason.

"Are you alright? Why are you getting pale? You're also sweating a lot right now, My Lord."

Slowly, this feeling is eating me, I feel like if I don't go back in the Imperial palace, I would regret something...

I look at the bags and a huge wheelbarrow filled with the prey that I had caught earlier, I already caught a lot, but it's not enough to win the hunting competition. 

"I think something is wrong, let's go back to the Imperial palace."

I regret that I won't be able to give Cressida the golden wreath and the title of 'White Dear' this year, but I will make sure that she will get that the next time I participate in the hunting festival in the following years.

Riding our horse, we went to the other way to go back in the palace, but then I saw a familiar figure of someone not too far from us.

"Grand Duke." His Ash hair gave away his identity.

He did not look back, but when my horse caught up to him, he was facing forward, but his unfriendly gaze was on me. He was giving me this sideways look with a frown on his face.

"What is it that you want..."

His voice slightly trembled, there was also a hint of sadness and irritation in them. I know that our family doesn't have a good relationship, even before we took our parent's title, we have always been a rival in the academy.

"You felt that something was wrong, didn't you?"

His eyes widen for a moment, but then he frowned again.

"You're right, the animals are acting strange, the wind became much colder, although it's currently summer, the skies are unusually dark as if there's an upcoming storm."

I look up, and he was right, the clouds are so dark, however, what caught my attention was...

"The Imperial palace..."

Alessio also looked over to the direction of the Imperial palace, his eyes widened in shock when he also saw what I'm looking at...

Dark clouds are hovering on top of the Imperial palace, crows are flying around and heading towards the same direction.

There was no need to say anything, we immediately started to move towards the Imperial Palace. The speed of our horse was almost the same, both were galloping at the same time and gasping, it was exactly like the fast beating of my heart.

The moment we arrived Infront of the Imperial palace, everyone was running while screaming, some of them were being attacked by the crows and there were monsters as well.

Without wasting another second, I unmounted my horse and ran inside the Palace. My thoughts was only lingering in one person.

'Cressida...'

I noticed that most of the noble ladies were running from the Empress' palace, upon seeing a servant, I grabbed him.

"My wife, where is Cressida!"

"D-Duke! I-I don't know where the madam is, but the tea party was held in the Empress' garden." I let go of his collar and ran again, this time, towards the garden of my aunt.