How To End This Marriage-Chapter 91: Mind in Darkness

"What are you doing, princess?" The voice made the three of them stop in their tracks.

"Greetings, Father!" It was none other than the ruler.

"Yes, but what are you doing? Who are these people? You didn’t introduce them to me," he asked.

"Oh, th-they! They are some acquaintances I know," she stuttered.

"Aren’t you going to introduce them to me?" the ruler persisted.

"That’s why I told you two to leave! Now you’ve put me in a difficult situation," Sylvia whispered.

"Why? Tell him I’m the prince of the empire he works for. It’s simple," Maximus said, making Sylvia rub his feet harshly, causing him to yelp.

"You don’t know anything, you dumb prince," Sylvia whispered.

"Sylvia, I’m asking something!" the ruler’s voice grew more serious.

"I apologize, my lord. They are acquaintances I met on a mission. They were heading this way, so I invited them to visit the empire. Now that they have, they are leaving," Sylvia explained.

"Oh, have a nice trip," the ruler said and left, his mind seemingly preoccupied with news of the concubine’s pregnancy.

"What do you mean by ’I’m dumb’? Doesn’t this place work for my father? What did I say wrong?" Maximus inquired as the ruler departed.

"We’re not here because we want to be. But once we lay hands on the emperor’s adored possession, we’ll capture the emperor. Do you think they’ll let you go knowing you’re the crown prince? No, you’ll be killed here, and it will be a gruesome death you can’t even imagine," Sylvia warned.

"Our execution is different from yours. You’ll feel the pain of your body being severed from your head, yet you’ll still feel and see your body separated from your head, and you’ll know how death feels," she said. She pulled both of them by their hands while secretly attempting to lead them out.

"Keep a close eye on them. I have many enemies here as well. If they discover you’re acquainted with me, they’ll capture you," Sylvia cautioned. As they reached the cave’s entrance, several bows were pointed at their necks, trapping them in place.

"What is this behavior? Is this how you treat the guests of your princess?" Sylvia shouted.

"They’re not guests, princess. They’re the enemy," the guards replied without lowering their bows.

"Oh, princess! I didn’t know you had become such good acquaintances with the crown prince of the empire that looks down on us. You even revealed the secrets of the tribal empire to them," concubine Feng Mei said, appearing out of nowhere.

"Youuuuuu!!!!" Sylvia grunted.

"What are you looking at? Throw them in the dungeon and torture them to death," Feng Mei ordered, and they were pulled toward the dungeon, unable to draw their swords.

"You’ve done it, Feng Mei!!!" Sylvia growled in anger.

"It’s ’Mother,’ princess. You should call me ’Mother.’ I’m wedded to your father," she said.

"You are not wedded. You were only sent here as a possession. Don’t think that coming here as a gift from the father means you’re his wife," Sylvia retorted, approaching her while Feng Mei clenched her fist in anger.

Princess Sylvia managed to reach the dungeon, where the guards were putting shackles on the crown prince and the duke. Sylvia moved forward, removing those shackles, but the guards kept putting them back.

"Didn’t I say not to put anything on my guests? Can’t you hear? Is my voice inaudible to all of you?" she sounded frustrated.

"Princess, this is the concubine’s order, and we can’t neglect it," the guards said, making her growl, but nothing worked in her favor. Soon, the ruler entered the dungeon, looking angry at the princess.

"What is this behavior, princess? You have failed as the heir of the empire."

"How could you disclose the secret of the empire to just anyone you wish? Don’t you know how crucial it is? Aren’t you aware of how dire the situation is?" he grunted.

"I didn’t, ruler. I had no hand in this. They came here on their own. I had no role in this. I just wanted to let them leave this place, thinking they had made a mistake this time," Princess Sylvia said, bowing her head in front of the ruler.

"So, you thought they would leave and reveal the location of the empire, potentially destroying this place? Is that what you want? Is that what you think is good for us?" the ruler grew angrier.

"No, Father! They mean no harm," she insisted.

"How can you be so sure they mean no harm? Didn’t you say that the emperor wanted to kill you? How is that different from the crown prince? He’s the son of the emperor, and he follows in his father’s footsteps. No one is innocent here," the ruler said and pulled out a metal whip, approaching them.

"Father, stop! I can guarantee you they mean no harm. I can vouch for that," Sylvia pleaded, but no one listened to her. The ruler raised his hand and struck the crown prince with the metal-thronged whip, causing his shoulder to bleed, yet he didn’t make a sound.

"He is my criminal, and I will decide how I need to deal with him," the ruler said, hitting him repeatedly. The crown prince’s entire body began to bleed, and no one paid much attention to the duke, who hung behind them, his identity unknown to those present.

"You are well aware of how your father has tortured us like little bugs, aren’t you?" the ruler spoke.

"He’s made us like blood-sucking bugs. He even sent us to kill a high-ranking person. Want to know who it is?" the ruler whispered, making the duke’s eyes widen.

"It was the North Duchess," he said.

"We were hired to kill the duchess in the dark of night so that no one could know who killed her and what the reason was. Now, do you understand how cruel your own emperor is?" he said, giving the three of them a shock.

"Father, what are you saying?" Sylvia tried to pull his hand back, but he shook her, causing her to fall to the ground.

"Yes, you heard it right. The emperor wants to kill his own empire’s high-ranking individuals, even though it’s not everyone, just that specific person. Isn’t that cruel? How many times were we sent to kill her? Isn’t it cruel how we’ve placed an assassin in the duke’s place for years, and the duke has no idea about it? Isn’t it funny?" the ruler spoke sarcastically.

"Why did you try to kill the duchess?" the duke finally spoke.

"Why? I don’t know. We are only given contracts by the empire. How would we know what kind of personal hatred they have? Do we know about their personal matters? No. We are only doing our job. But with you two, we can make the emperor do whatever we want," the ruler said, then left the room, dragging the princess with him.

"Crown prince, are you alright?" the duke asked, full of concern, but Maximus remained silent. Suddenly, he raised his hand, blood dripping from his mouth. He spat the blood on the ground and said, "Did you see the result of your devotion? Did you see how your wife is being treated by your uncle? If you had heard it from her, maybe the consequences would be different."

"I—" Maximus attempted to respond, but he stopped abruptly, screaming and clutching his head in pain.

"Alex, what’s happening to you?" Maximus inquired, alarmed.

"Ahhhhh, my head!!!" he screamed again. The screams continued for some time, but when he finally stopped, he said, "You are right, the emperor is great." Maximus was bewildered.

"What are you talking about, Alex?" he asked.

"The emperor is right. He is almighty in the empire. How could he ever be wrong? He knows what’s best for us," the duke said. Maximus attempted to turn towards him, but when he did, he was shocked to see the pure blackness in his eyes, as if he were hypnotized.

"Alexavier, come to your senses!!!!!" Maximus shouted.

"What are you talking about, your highness? I am in my senses. I should have married the marquis lady. I should have married what my mother prepared me for. I don’t know what has come over me," the duke’s tone sounded strange. At that very moment, Princess Sylvia entered the dungeon running.

"Princess, something is happening with the duke. He needs to get out of here," Maximus urgently told her.

"Crown prince, you need to think about yourself. Just look at yourself; you are bleeding all over. Is this what you think is good? The duke still hasn’t sustained any injuries. Why are you so worried about him?" the princess argued.

"No, no, you don’t understand. Alex has changed. Alex has been changed. He needs to get out of here and needs a serious check-up. He needs it. Do it. Help him get out of this place right now!!!!" Maximus shouted.

"Oh, okay, I will. I will get him out of the place, no matter what," the princess agreed.

"Yes, your highness, I will come to get you back. I will rescue you from here," the duke said as the princess began to unshackle him. However, his eyes remained as dark as night, devoid of any light.