The Grand Duke's Son Is A Heretic-Chapter 505

After finishing the talk with the Imperial Scion, Kael stood at the top of one of the clock towers and looked down at the city below. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

The city was still being rebuilt.

Broken roads were being repaired. Burned houses were slowly rising again. Soldiers and civilians moved side by side, carrying stones, wood, and supplies. The sound of hammers and voices filled the air. Life was returning, but the scars of war were still everywhere.

Kael’s gaze slowly shifted.

It fell on the statue of the four heroes standing proudly in the center of the city.

His jaw tightened.

"Damn it," he muttered under his breath.

"Why is everything damaged except them?"

The statues stood untouched, clean and proud, as if the war had carefully avoided them. Kael felt irritation crawl up his chest.

"I missed my chance," he clicked his tongue. "I should have broken them when the fighting was going on."

He leaned against the stone railing of the tower and let out a slow breath. For a moment, he simply watched the city, his thoughts heavy and tangled.

Then a presence appeared beside him.

A shadow flickered.

Mariana stepped out quietly and stood at his side. She lowered her head and gave him a deep bow.

"Did you investigate the matter?" Kael asked without turning to look at her.

Mariana straightened slightly and nodded. "Yes."

"The Abyssal Sect seems to be in cahoots with many factions," she reported. "Also, I received information from our sources that Austin might also be involved with them."

Kael finally turned his head and looked at her. He raised his hand and rubbed his throbbing temple.

Bugs.

That was what they were.

Bugs that hid deep underground. Bugs that multiplied quietly. If you wanted to get rid of them, you could not just crush what you saw on the surface. You had to dig deep, drag them out, and cut them from the roots.

Troublesome.

Extremely troublesome.

"The spies in the eastern region proved useless," Kael said coldly.

Mariana immediately bowed deeper. "We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience."

Kael did not respond right away. His eyes stayed fixed on the distant palace rooftops.

"What about Nightstar?" he asked after a pause. "Are they still standing, or are they already finished?"

Ethan, who had been standing nearby, made a throat-cutting gesture with his hand as if to emphasize the question.

Mariana answered carefully. "We are reaching out to them and looking for measures. We will make sure they are aligned."

Kael nodded once.

"I want you to collect information about the current condition of the royal palace," he said. "The security, the strength of the guards, and any changes in deployment."

He turned slightly and looked at her directly.

"Be as accurate as possible."

"Yes, my lord," Mariana replied firmly.

She bowed once more and disappeared, her figure melting into the shadows.

...

Kael left the clock tower and returned to the duchy mansion.

The mansion was crowded.

Soldiers, servants, healers, and guards moved in and out, reporting, cleaning, and repairing damage. It was noisy, but it was a controlled noise. Everyone was busy, and everyone had a task.

As Kael stepped inside the courtyard, a loud and cheerful sound reached his ears.

"Whee!"

He looked up.

Elfie was riding on the Black Lion.

The massive beast was running around the courtyard in wide circles, its black mane flowing as it moved. Despite its terrifying appearance, it was careful with every step. Its movements were steady and gentle, as if afraid of hurting its rider.

Elfie sat proudly on its back, holding onto its fur with both hands, laughing happily.

"Faster! Faster!" she shouted.

The Black Lion let out a low rumble, almost like a reluctant sigh, but it obeyed and picked up speed slightly.

Kael stopped walking.

He stared at the scene in silence.

A few servants nearby watched nervously, ready to jump in if something went wrong. Others smiled faintly, clearly relieved to see some happiness after so much bloodshed.

Kael crossed his arms.

"So," he muttered, "this bastard really knows how to make friends."

As if sensing his presence, the Black Lion slowed down and stopped. Elfie noticed Kael and waved excitedly.

"Papa!" she called out. "Look! Ron is so big now!"

Kael sighed.

He walked forward, his boots crunching lightly against the stone floor. The Black Lion lowered its head slightly, its sharp eyes watching Kael carefully.

Kael reached out and placed a hand on its mane.

"Hmph," he snorted. "At least you’re finally acting like something useful."

The Black Lion growled softly, as if offended, but did not pull away.

Elfie giggled.

For a brief moment, the weight on Kael’s chest felt a little lighter.

But only for a moment.

Because deep down, he knew.

The real fight was far from over.

...

"Are you alright?"

"Did you get hurt?"

"Any trouble?"

Questions hit Kael one after another. Emilia kept circling around him, her dress swaying as she moved back and forth, her hands hovering near his shoulders and arms as if she wanted to check him but did not dare to touch.

Kael closed his eyes.

He let her voice flow past him like background noise. It was loud and restless, but he did not stop her. He had already learned that stopping her only made it worse.

Better to ignore.

"I am alright, Mother," he said at last, his voice calm but tired.

out a long breath. "Ohh. Thank God."

Her eyes searched his face again. "Since you are back, is it over?"

Kael opened his eyes and looked at her. He slowly shook his head.

"How can it be?"

"We have yet to reach climax," he said quietly. "Climax to end war."

Emilia’s clear eyes widened. Her lips parted, and she stared at him as if she had heard something she did not want to understand.

"There is more?"

"Yes. Now we are going to enter cor—"

"COUGH! COUGH!"

The sharp cough cut through his words.

Kael turned his head.

Ruth was leaning against the door frame with his arms folded. His face was calm as he watched the scene in silence.

Kael’s brows drew together.

’Why does he look so different?’ he wondered.