The Impact Of The Villainess’ Fake Marriage On The Ending

“Your Grace…”

Adeline, who was trapped in the box and leaning her head against the wall, got back to her senses for a moment as she heard Melissa weep.

“Melissa. I’m fine. Don’t cry.”

Unable to drink a sip of water, a cracked voice calmed Melissa down.

Today was already the fourth day. She couldn’t drink, she couldn’t eat even a slice of bread, and she couldn’t sleep.
Whether it was because of the emperor’s orders or the situation in which Adeline had to be the culprit no matter what, the captain forced her into extreme circumstances, without mercy.
She suffered from thirst and hunger, but it was the lack of sleep that made her consciousness fade away.

She couldn’t sleep despite being sleepy, so she couldn’t keep her sanity.
Ordinary people would have given up before this. In fact, Adeline could have given up early if her brothers wouldn’t get hurt.

‘I have to hang in there. If I don’t, too many people will be in danger.’

She was trying her best to protect the people she loved.

“Hang in there a little more, Your Grace. His Grace must be looking for you. He will find us soon.”

Melissa came as close as she could and whispered.

Inside the box, Adeline nodded and closed her eyes for a moment. Then, the vine on the wall of the box immediately wrapped around Adeline’s wrist and squeezed it tightly.
The box in which Adeline was trapped was a tool made for interrogation. If it felt any drowsiness from the trapped person, a vine would wrap around their body and prevent them from sleeping.

The vine tightened around her body until she opened her eyes, but the intensity was so strong that there was no way to endure it.
She didn’t even have the strength to scream. Adeline just frowned and lifted her heavy eyelids.

‘He must be aware of the situation by now.’

Adeline barely came to her senses and remembered Kael.
She was trapped in a dark basement without seeing a ray of light, so there was no way to know how much time had passed.
However, when she vaguely guessed it, it was time for Kael to grasp the situation and start moving.

‘Kael…’

Adeline called Kael’s name inwardly, several times.
She called him again and again, as if he were going to show up right in front of her eyes if she did.
It was a way to overcome this torture that had been going on for days.

Strangely enough, when she thought of Kael, she felt a little stronger.
She didn’t know exactly why. Was there a connection between the expectation and faith that he would surely come to save Adeline, or did she believe in his power to pay back what she was suffering right now in double, or was there any other reason that not even Adeline realized?
She couldn’t tell at all, but it made Adeline hold out in this hell.
She wanted to see him. She wanted to survive and see him.

‘Hurry up, Kael. Right now, I…’

She was holding out with her teeth clenched, but she was also starting to show limitations.
Adeline felt her consciousness drifting away and eagerly repeated Kael’s name again.
Wishing he would show up in front of her even for just one second.

***

“It’s an abandoned castle north of the Imperial Palace. That’s their base.”
“We’re going right away.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”

One day after ordering him to find a lead on the Red Knights, Vero discovered their base.
Given that it was a secret organization moving behind the scenes, it was a huge achievement to find out the location so quickly.

But neither Vero nor Kael rejoiced when they heard the report.
The delay was too long. Now that a few days had already passed, it was difficult to anticipate what Adeline was going through.

‘You have to hold on, Adeline.’

Kael, who was riding the horse at a frightening pace, begged earnestly.
Even though he knew Adeline couldn’t hear him, he couldn’t help but ask again and again.

Kael hadn’t slept either since he came up from the underground.
The guilt of not being able to protect Adeline, the helplessness of not being able to do anything while she was kidnapped, and the furious anger towards the enemy who had trapped her were mixed together, and he couldn’t get some shut-eye.

But the greatest emotion that ruled over Kael was fear.
After moving around on several battlefields from an early age and losing everything he had, fear was one of the feelings that had disappeared from Kael.
He was not afraid of death because he wanted to die, and he was not afraid of his opponents because no one could compare to him.

But for the first time, he was afraid.
He was afraid that he would lose Adeline, that he would never see her sunny smile again, and that he would be greeted by her cold body when he found her.
He was so scared.

“This is the place, Your Grace. The basement of this castle is their base.”

Due to the ferocious speed at which they rode the horses, they quickly arrived at the old castle north of the imperial palace.
Kael looked at the old, deserted castle.
The thought of Adeline being trapped in there made his fists clench on their own.

“Go inside.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”

Kael got off his horse and went straight into the castle. There was no time to hesitate. He had to find Adele as soon as possible.

“Who’s there?!”

As he headed inside, he saw knights who were bewildered by the unexpected intrusion. They certainly were the Red Knights.
They immediately drew their swords and tried to stop Kael from entering.

“Argh!”

However, their attempts quickly crumbled and came back as blood.
Kael cut them down without much movement. His anger could be felt from his swinging blade.

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“Whoever it is, don’t hesitate to cut them down.”
“Yes, Your Grace!”

Kael’s words had a big meaning.
The Red Knights were the knights favored by the emperor, and an attack on them was considered an attack on the emperor, so they could not be cut or killed recklessly.
However, Kael ordered for that shield be broken and cut them all down.
What he meant was clear.

“Stop!”

As he was going down deep into the basement, killing those who stopped him, the captain of the knights stood in front of him.
Behind the captain was a door. Kael was sure that Adeline was behind the door.

“What act of violence are you doing right now, Your Grace?”
“… Act of violence?”

A cold, sunken voice echoed in the basement.
He only asked back in a low voice, but the atmosphere turned cold as if the whole space was going to freeze.

“We are the Red Knights. Don’t you know what it means to attack the knights protected by His Imperial Majesty!”

Hearing the captain’s words, Kael couldn’t hold it in and burst into laughter.

“I have no time to waste, so get out of my way.”
“We are conducting an investigation at the command of His Imperial Majesty. You can’t go inside.”
“I ordered you to get out of my way.”
“I can’t do that. If you come one step closer, I will consider this an attack on His Majesty.”

Kael stared at the captain. Then, his sword reached the captain’s arm with a swift movement that couldn’t be followed with one’s eyes.

“Aaaaack!”

When they heard the screams of agony, the red knights nearby tried to rush to Kael. However, it was in vain.
Kael’s knights did not allow this.

“I’ll ask you once. What does it mean to kidnap and interrogate the Grand Duchess of the North?”
“Ugh…”
“The moment you kidnapped the Lady of the North, His Majesty pointed a knife at the North. What do you think that means?”

Kael applied more strength to his sword, and the captain threw up a tearing scream.

“If Adeline is hurt even in the slightest, if you touched even a strand of her hair,”
“…”
“Today will be the day the Red Knights will breathe their last breaths.”

As Kael warned and drew his sword, the captain rolled to the floor and screamed in pain.
Kael ordered the captain to be tied up and immediately opened the door.

Unlike the expectation that it would only be one room, when the door was opened, several cells were hanging close together.

“Here! Over here! Her Grace is here!”

As he ordered them to disperse and search, Melissa’s voice echoed.
Melissa also couldn’t drink a sip of water, so she had no choice but to scream in a cracked voice.
Her voice was different than usual, but it was enough for Kael to understand.

He ran straight to the place where Melissa’s voice was heard.

“Your Grace! You have to hurry! Her Grace, inside the box…”

As he ran to the innermost area, where the voice was heard, Melissa tearfully shouted that he needed to save Adeline’s life.

Kael immediately looked at the cramped box in the cell.
He knew what the box was for as soon as he saw it, and at that moment, his reason was completely paralyzed.

The knight with the key immediately opened the door of the cell, and Kael ran inside and broke the lock on the box with his sword.

“Adeline!”

As soon as he opened the door of the box, the pale Adeline collapsed into Kael’s arms.
Adeline, who lost consciousness for a moment, managed to open her eyes and look at Kael.

“Adeline! Adeline, can you hear me?”
“Kael…”

Adeline tried to reach out her trembling hand to Kael’s face. But her hand could not reach him.

“Adeline!”

Her arm drooped, and Adeline completely lost consciousness.
Kael immediately put his hand on Adeline’s pulse. She was still breathing, but her heartbeat was too weak.
He immediately embraced Adeline. He had to take her to the doctor a little faster.

Kael quickly ran towards the light, holding Adeline in his arms. And at the end, he quietly ordered.

“Don’t let anybody live except the captain. I don’t allow them to breathe.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”

He couldn’t keep them alive.
Those who dared to mess with Adeline, Kael had no intention of allowing them to breathe.