I’m in the Arms of the Cursed Grand Duke - Chapter 54

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 54

Nerhi’s plan was as follows.

Put the poison Crea made into the domain’s water source. It wouldn’t last long, but just enough time for the villagers to take a sip each. Crea would have adjusted the amount herself. This plan had to work well for him to get the materials he wanted.

‘Did she say she wanted to obtain Snois from the Northern Region?’

Once he devoured the duchy, he could find that much for her easily. Same with buying other materials.

For that to happen, Crea had to finish her final task well too.

He mixed antidotes into fruits, bread, and snacks that could be eaten immediately. He also mixed it into wheat, so those who got sick from consuming poison would recover quickly in a few days.

However, those who refused to even accept and eat food supplies while siding with Zephyrus would waste away and leave this world without knowing why.

They were people who wouldn’t side with Nerhi even if they died anyway. It was better for them to disappear.

Those who accepted and ate the food supplies would have some sense of debt and gratitude toward Nerhi, so they wouldn’t be able to strongly oppose him even when he ascended to the duke’s position.

Moreover, the biggest advantage of that plan was something else.

“Those who choose the duke are cursed… Isn’t that a rumor that would shake even those who haven’t died yet?”

He smiled with a twisted expression, imagining the atmosphere that would soon turn in his favor.

-Kreung!

Just then, the roars of monsters echoed through the mountain. Due to the domain’s characteristic of being surrounded by mountains, that sound echoed several times. Ordinary monsters preferred quiet hunting, but the fact that they suddenly howled in groups was a good opportunity for him.

“Gasp! I heard rumors that His Grace is currently cursed…”

Nerhi whispered very quietly, but loud enough for the person right next to him to hear.

“What did you say?”

“Oh, did you hear that?”

“Please tell me. What curse? Is it related to what just happened?”

“I don’t know well… It’s a rumor circulating in the Imperial Court. …Let’s stop here.”

“How can you stop talking in the middle? Please tell us, thinking you’re saving people like us.”

His eyes shook with anxiety. He was someone who found the current duke unreliable from the beginning. He had even thought how good it would be if Rossia were a man and the direct heir. But wasn’t there a good person here who could be considered direct lineage and had brought back the guild master to make him well-fed?

“I can’t. I don’t want false rumors to spread that I’m aiming for the duke’s position.”

Seeing Nerhi’s troubled expression, the man became convinced.

The conviction that it would actually be better to entrust the domain to this person.

Of course, there was nothing he could do.

“Oh, I’ll keep it secret. Please? I’m anxious, that’s why.”

“I can’t…”

Nerhi inwardly burst into laughter while pretending to hesitate reluctantly.

After Nerhi played a tug-of-war of seeming like he would or wouldn’t tell, the vassal could only hear that rumor after pressuring him almost threateningly.

Some woman had fallen under a burning curse, and that woman headed north to break her curse.

Only the highest person in the north could break that curse. If that happened, the one who broke the curse would receive another terrible curse.

Precisely the curse of attracting monsters.

Seeing the vassal gasp and cover his mouth, Nerhi brought his finger to his lips.

“My nephew is just in love. That’s what I think… Anyway, it’s really a secret. I’ll be in trouble.”

“Yes, yes!”

“Oh my, really. I should tell people so they can prepare in advance… Well then, I hope you eat healthily.”

Nerhi smiled warmly and stepped back.

The false rumor Nerhi had made up as he pleased would be spread by that vassal himself.

When they came to him, the only option who could be the next duke, to ask for help, he would pretend to be unable to refuse and grant their request.

From now on, he planned to wait leisurely and watch Zephyrus being brought down by his own vassals. He covered his mouth with his hand and laughed, hiding his unconsciously rising lips.

“Heh.”

Crea, who had been quietly watching from the side, shook her head and said.

“Lord Nerhi, even demons wouldn’t be able to dine with you.”

Crea threw in a comment from the side.

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

**

Around the same time.

Contact came through the ducal household’s communication device.

After the messenger bird Harvie sent reached the ducal household’s informant in the Imperial Court, that informant immediately made contact.

Communication costs were the labor costs of mages. The ducal household had mages, but the informants didn’t have mages.

Usually they would gather information and come directly. The fact that they sent communication meant it was an even more urgent matter.

A mage belonging to the knight order saw the communication and rushed over urgently.

“Urgent report. I present this to Your Grace.”

The mage slipped a paper with the exact contents of the urgent report written on it under Zephyrus’s door and disappeared. He had to quickly inform others as well.

Zephyrus read the report that had come under his door after a long time and widened his eyes. Sharp ice pieces like ice blades appeared and then disappeared after some time passed.

If he continued like this, he wouldn’t be able to call Airite. He called Airite after organizing his emotions.

“I was just trying to convey information about a criminal, but what could make someone seem like they’ve been poisoned?”

“You suddenly called me… Wait. Is it by any chance the guild master?”

“Yes.”

That meant Crea was beside him.

Airite’s face turned pale.

There was something similar.

The most decisive trigger that made Airite decide to take a different path from Crea.

“Studyworm.”

Gather small insects in one place and make them kill and be killed.

If one remains, he takes that one, and collects the dead ones to make a matured core for the opponent to consume.

Then the opponent cannot harm the one who took the surviving insect. They can’t even think of putting them in danger.

That very thought was seen as threatening the surviving insect, the studyworm.

If such thoughts occurred, the core would destroy the host without delay.

“The fact that the guild master is still alive despite sending this means it’s not fully matured.”

“Can it be cured?”

“I wonder.”

“Look into it. Isn’t this an interesting matter for you too?”

“I’ll finish what I was doing first. If he just does as he’s told, he won’t die there.”

“…One more thing. What if the master, the studyworm, dies first?”

“They die together.”

“I understand. You may go.”

After Airite left, Zephyrus held his forehead. The painful sigh was brief. He steadied his wavering heart while thinking of Clemente.

‘Will Clemente be able to find Icetas?’

It would have been good if what it meant to restore vitality was clearly written.

It was frustrating that he couldn’t go directly.

Zephyrus clenched his fist tightly.

Why did his head turn white and his strength drain whenever he went outside the door?

How long would he have to remain trapped by memories of the past?

He was sorry to his maid, but now he wanted to move forward.

For the domain.

And for Clemente. To repay her efforts.

“Clemente.”

Thinking of her made him want to call her. That name scattering and disappearing into the air felt somehow regrettable…

“Master. Did you call me?”

“…!”

Sharp ice formed around Zephyrus and then quickly melted into the air and disappeared.

Because the window opened and Clemente came in.

“No… you…”

Zephyrus unconsciously examined her body to see if she had any injuries.

“Why did you call me?”

“What’s the reason you came through the window?”

“Ah, that Nerhi or Ner-something was blocking the path. It’s better to sneak in than get caught for no reason, right?”

Clemente confidently raised her thumb up.

Zephyrus cut her off as she was about to tell him what she had experienced.

“Why?”

“Restoring vitality is…?”

“I found it.”

“Scatter it in the river immediately. So Harvie can consume it too.”

Whether it would be effective or not wasn’t certain. There was a greater possibility it would be useless.

However, they had to try something for now.

“What’s going on?”

Zephyrus briefly relayed Airite’s explanation. After hearing even the part about Nerhi currently distributing food, Clemente frowned.

“There might be poison in the food.”

“I’m thinking it’s almost certain.”

“Then… hmm. Ah!”

Clemente gestured to Zephyrus as if she had a good idea.

“Ah! Lend me your ear, Master.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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