Ariana didn’t react. She only stared at him, waiting.
Kael’s smirk faded as he noticed something in her eyes.
A very deep, lingering sorrow flashed in Ariana greenish eyes.A feeling that bore deep into his heart because he knew that.
The kind that came from betrayal. The kind that left a scar so deep it never fully healed.
He didn’t understand why she had such a look at her age. What could’ve happened to her? What kind of betrayal had she suffered?
His blood boiled as memories of his own past surfaced.
He hated it more than anything. The mere thought of it made his fists clench. Those bastards who had betrayed him... They were lucky they were dead.
Otherwise, he would’ve torn them apart with his own hands. No... even death wasn’t enough. Once he grew stronger, he would dig up their graves, desecrate their corpses, and burn their legacies to the ground.
But looking at Ariana now, seeing the same anger, the same pain... his rage cooled just a little.
Kael exhaled sharply and leaned back in his chair. Then, with a deadly serious expression, he spoke.
"I swear on my name." His voice was low, firm, carrying the weight of an unbreakable promise. "I swear on my life. And if that’s not enough, I vow it on the world itself. I will not betray you, Ariana. So trust me."
Ariana watched him carefully, as if searching for any deception. But she found none. The room fell into silence again.
Finally, she let out a slow breath and smirked slightly. "In that case... I only want one thing, My Lord."
Kael raised an eyebrow. "And that is?"
Ariana’s eyes gleamed with determination. "Defeat Mrs. Adele. Make sure she never becomes the Duchess."
Kael blinked, then let out a laugh. "That’s it?"
Ariana nodded without elaborating further but Kael picked out something.
Kael grinned, cracking his knuckles. "Fine. Consider it done."
"Cause, I will burn that pretty bitch."
Backstage, the air was thick with tension. The lively cheers and murmurs of the crowd outside barely masked the nervous whispers within.
Kael leaned against a wooden pillar, taking a slow drag from his cigar, the ember glowing in the dimly lit space. He exhaled a long puff of smoke, watching it curl into the air with an amused smirk.
Gare, however, was sweating buckets. His fingers twitched as he clasped them together in desperation. "My Lord, please reconsider," he pleaded, his voice shaking.
"This is dangerous. The Grand Duke might not approve. The nobles could file a petition worse, they could demand punishment!"
"You have just gotten out of house arrest and this trouble might permanently discrete your name."
Kael flicked the ash from his cigar, his greyish eyes narrowing slightly. Then, he pointed at himself. "Gare, tell me."
" Do you think I even care?"
Gare swallowed hard, his throat dry. He turned to Baret, silently begging for support.
Baret, understanding the look, cleared his throat and tried a different approach. "My Lord, we are already behind schedule—"
"So what?" Kael cut him off, his tone as lazy as ever. "I don’t give a fuck. I’m not alone in this. If I get my ass kicked, that old coot will be in trouble too. Did you forget? He’s the real one in charge."
Gare and Baret exchanged a look, their faces pale. He really doesn’t give a damn.
At that moment, a loud murmur rippled through the crowd outside. Heads turned as Ariana stepped onto the stage. Even from backstage, they could hear the gasps, the sharp whispers of judgment.
And yet, Ariana moved gracefully, her steps steady.
Kael took another drag from his cigar and smirked. "Well, let’s see how this plays out." Then, with a flick of his fingers, he tossed the cigar away and strode toward the stage.
The lively atmosphere of Astros City suddenly felt tense. People had gathered for an important announcement, their eyes fixed on the grand stage. Some whispered excitedly, others frowned in suspicion.
No one expected Ariana to step forward and take charge.
In fact, she herself didn’t wanted to do this.She wasn’t good at politics and handling things.All she knew was to fight.
A day ago, they were called to the main Altross mansion for an important announcement.They thought it would be Baron Altross but he wasn’t anywhere in sight.
Also, Ariana wasn’t a leading figure due to Baroness Hela spreading all sort of bad rumors about her.
"What’s she doing here?" a man in the crowd muttered.
"Why is she standing on that stage like she owns the place?" another sneered.
"Isn’t she ashamed? She’s no leader."
Despite the judgmental murmurs, Ariana remained composed. Dressed in fine clothing, she looked far more dignified than the rumors made her out to be. With a sharp inhale, she stood tall and spoke in a voice that boomed across the square.
"The people of Barony, I have an important announcement to make!"
Her words carried weight, silencing most of the chatter. Then, she dropped the bombshell.
"Baron Altross, my father, and Baroness Hela, my mother, are dead."
The reaction was immediate.
"Wait! I saw a fight that night."
"Yes, there is also fire and smoke."
"Did that woman kill her own parents?"
Ariana clenched her fists, rage burning in her chest.
These fools were so quick to jump to conclusions. If she had even a fraction of the power she once held, she would have crushed their ignorant tongues. But now... now she was just an ordinary woman, trapped in a powerless body.
Before the crowd could spiral into full chaos, a loud metallic clang echoed across the plaza. A sword had struck the stage with enough force to shake the wooden platform. The people flinched, ready to scream—until they heard a voice dripping with menace.
"If any of you bastards dare to scream, I swear I’ll chop you up and feed you to pigs," Kael growled.