The Duchess and the Devil - Chapter 55.1

Waking up from the knock, Judith realized that she had already arrived and the carriage had stopped. Opening the door, she came out and greeted the butler, answered some questions about housework, when suddenly she heard a familiar voice and raised her head:

– My Lady… How are you?

He smiled, looking like a truly caring husband who loved his wife.

Derrick stood on the second floor, leaning on the railing. In an instant, Judith’s heart calmed down and her soul felt much lighter, as if there had been no conversation with the Emperor at all. And if the Duchess is a pebble that can be carried away by a small wave, then Derrick is huge, she said, unshakable even under the onslaught of a tsunami.

Judith looked at the demon, left the book, which she had been holding tightly in her hand all this time, to the butler and slowly walked up the stairs.

– Why do you have such a face?

The tension, which the Duchess carefully tried to hide, did not go unnoticed.

“You were right,” Derrick’s gaze burned. “His Majesty really…” Judith felt as if a stone had been placed on her chest. She was never able to finish the sentence, because she didn’t want to believe it, although she realized the truth of the words.

-Have you met him?

The demon approached, and the laughter and smile gave way to coldness. Now his gaze was similar to the one when he looked at Lucas.

– Just you two?

Judith nodded weakly, feeling the tension.

“I… I didn’t know the situation would become like this.” He appeared unexpectedly.

The silent question in Derrick’s eyes did not go unnoticed. Judith shook her head, knowing what he meant.

“I was lucky enough to leave quickly.” Nothing happened. But he wants to see each other again at the banquet in a few days.

Judith was still wary of the proposal, especially after today’s events. The Emperor’s hungry face at that moment greatly shocked her, which was why she was in such a hurry to leave the library.

Noticing Derrick leaning his upper body towards her, Duchess pushed him in the chest.

– Why?

Now they were not in the bedroom, where only the spouses were, but on the balcony, open on all sides. Judith bowed her head as she saw the bustle of people running back and forth on the first floor. But the demon grabbed her hand and hugged her, burying his nose in her neck:

– Smell…

Only now did Judith realize that Derrick wanted to calm himself with her scent.

But the Duchess did not know what else the demon could do on this balcony, so she led him into the next room.

“Nothing happened,” Judith frowned again, as if proving something to Derrick.

-You still don’t believe it?

The cold voice shuddered with hatred.

Derrick was truly angry and hated the Emperor with all his heart, even if he was not Hannibal at all. Judith all this time was thinking about the relationship between her late husband and Killard. She wouldn’t be able to find out anything anyway: Derrick has no memories of his past life. But could the Emperor simply be trying to get some additional information out of Judith by bluffing?

The Duchess always understood that the investigation would not be easy, but all three candidates, as one, seemed very suspicious – from all sides. Therefore, there was no time to relax: the enemy could be everywhere.

Finally, Judith exhaustedly pressed her forehead against her husband’s chest. Derrick listened to her heartbeat, not at all surprised that something had finally calmed down. It seemed that the Duchess had completely exhausted all her strength.

She was involved in all this only by mistake of fate and coincidence. And it wasn’t her fault. The girl was only the wife of the deceased Derrick, but she still devoted herself entirely to the thought that she needed to find Hannibal as soon as possible. And now she’s too tired from all the stress.