I CHOSE to be a VILLAIN, not a THIRD-RATE EXTRA!!-Chapter 45: Secret Outing
"There’s absolutely no chance my darling husband would ever be involved in something like that," the Duchess said with a soft laugh "He’s far too innocent. Just look at what he brought me from his last journey. This necklace is the newest gift from him."
She pointed to the centerpiece of the stunning piece—an intricately carved golden chain that cradled a brilliant red stone. "This red gem is said to be a raw condensation of highly purified Fire elemental mana. The type mana that can only be found in the deepest volcanoes of the Eastern Lands." Her gaze lingered on the necklace as if it were a tangible testament to her husband’s love and care.
Cassius barely spared a glance at the Duchess as she proudly flaunted her new necklace. He had seen this routine before—the Duchess’s endless parade of newly acquired trinkets and treasures, each a fleeting obsession that would soon be discarded in favor of the next shiny object.
And then, in a few days, it would most likely find its way into the hands of the young Miss, which she had taken(stolen) from her mother while making cute faces.
The Duchess huffed, clearly feeling a sting from Cassius’s indifference. Her lips curled into a small pout, and she flicked her gaze away from him with a dramatic flair. "Hmpf!" and then asked "Well, I don’t understand why do you fear my husband so much. You are way more powerful than him! He can’t even throw a straight punch. Honestly, I’m sure my little pudding could defeat him without even breaking a sweat."
"Miss, the Duke is a merchant, not some fighter. His strength lies in influence, not in brute force. And even if he were inclined to fight, he has the Head Butler for that. The man is even better than me when it comes to taking on fights.
Miss, The Duke can also never win against his wife or his daughter. But unlike you, the Duke despises me. From the very day you brought me here.
The Duke has the power to hire people, stronger and more skilled than I am, to fight his battles for him. If not for the Head Butler sometimes taking my side, I fear the Duke would’ve already hired someone to deal with me".
"Oh, my hubby’s just a little jealous of you, that’s all. Don’t fret, he won’t hire anyone to get rid of you. I’m telling you, he’s not that cruel." the Duchess’s voice lacked the usual conviction as she said that. "But... since when did you start speaking well of that old crook?
"Miss, the Head Butler is a Space Mage, not even an ordinary one but was an Imperial Mage. He-"
"I don’t want to hear his praise. That old man is nothing more than a crook who works for my hubby just like you work for me. And from now on, you’re going to listen to my orders, understood?" concluded the Duchess getting frustrated from the previous ramblings.
"NO!" replied Cassius straightforwardly.
"No? Are you sure?" asked the Duchess for confirmation.
"Yes. My answer will remain a NO," he reaffirmed.
"Hah!" sighed the Duchess and said in a low tone "It seems you leave me no choice."
Cassius’s instincts flared in an instant. A cold shiver ran down his spine as a terrible premonition gripped him. The Duchess’s next move sent him into a panic. In the blink of an eye, she collapsed dramatically onto the floor, flailing her arms and legs as if in a fit and shouted on the top of her voice.
"CASSIUS HAS ASSAULTED ME! HELP ME!"
Cassius’s face drained of color. His heart raced, his thoughts momentarily frozen by the absurdity of the situation.
"Please don’t do this, Miss," Cassius immediately pleaded, his voice unsteady, his calm façade cracking for the first time. His eyes darted nervously to the door as if expecting someone to burst in at any moment. "If anyone hears your words, the Duke will execute me. Please, get up from the floor. Your dress will get dirty."
"Will you listen to me if I stop?" asked the Duchess stopping her tantrums instantly.
"Please understand, Duchess, I can’t do—" he began, his voice low, pleading, but before he could finish, she cut him off with renewed vigor.
"HELP ME! HELP ME!" The Duchess’s shrill cries sliced through the air, louder and more frantic than before, her voice now a desperate wail.
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Cassius’s heart pounded in his chest as he stood frozen. She had trapped him in this cruel game.
"Miss, why are you doing this to me? Did you bring me here to get me killed?"
The Duchess said her voice softening, "How could I even think of harming you?
The reason I bought you here was because I needed someone to protect my daughter if something were to happen to me... or my husband. My husband has a lot of money—more than even I cannot fathom. But there are things that money can’t buy. You see, all that wealth can make him the enemy of every single person who doesn’t have it. And he doesn’t understand that. He thinks money will solve everything.
Your loyalty, Cassius, is worth far more to me than all the gold my husband can throw around." Explained the Duchess.
"Miss, the Duke can purchase even his enemies. Money, resources—he can secure just about anything or anyone. And with the amount of Defensive Artifacts the Duke has placed on the young Miss—excluding the ones she’s ’borrowed’ from you, of course—who would even dare harm her? She’s safer than the Crown Prince himself."
"Cassius, there are certain things you will never fully understand, no matter how much I explain. Just like you don’t understand my identity—there are layers to it, things that go far beyond your comprehension." She looked up, her gaze distant, the veil obscuring her face as she stared at the ceiling, her expression hidden from him.
Then, her voice cracked slightly, the vulnerability seeping through despite her efforts to conceal it. "Just promise me this, Cassius. If something were to happen to me, you would look after my daughter. Promise me that."
"Miss, I will protect you, the Duke, and the young miss with my life on the line. That is the oath I swore the very first day I chose to follow you. It doesn’t matter to me what your true identity is. For me, my oath is enough to lay my life down if necessary." His words hung in the air, heavy with commitment.
Then, her voice broke the stillness, quiet yet insistent. "Then will you listen to my orders?"
A vein snapped in Cassius’ forehead with the frustration of being constantly maneuvered by the Duchess’s wordplay. With a sigh, his shoulders sagged just slightly as he gave in to the inevitability of the situation. "Where to this time?"
The Duchess, as if sensing her victory, sprang to her feet with an almost childlike enthusiasm. "I knew it! You’re the only one who listens to me!"
But that moment didn’t last long. Her smile faltered, and her eyes shifted downward, losing their sparkle. In the quiet of the room, a deep sadness seemed to weigh on her, and she looked almost fragile as she sank into her thoughts.
’If only I was born as an ordinary noblewoman, she thought to herself, the words drifting through her mind like a quiet lament. I could have enjoyed a simple life with my family, not hidden inside this mansion, not trapped behind this veil...’ Her eyes glistened briefly, small drops of tears threatening to spill, but she quickly blinked them away. ’But no matter what condition I am living in, I will never become a caged bird.’
Meanwhile, Cassius’s thoughts churned in a different direction, far from the Duchess’s emotional turmoil. ’Why do I feel like my life is getting shorter every day in this mansion?’ Deep down, he cried—though no tears escaped his stoic exterior. He had no choice but to follow, to protect, and to serve, all while silently praying that the Duke never learned of their little outings. If he did, it could very well be the end of Cassius.
"Western Duchy."
"But haven’t we already been there?"
"We will go by the sea this time. I overheard my hubby talking to a merchant—apparently, a ship will be leaving tonight. I’ve never been on a ship before. It seems fate is on my side, as he’ll be leaving work in the afternoon. It’s the perfect opportunity." She let out a small, satisfied chuckle. "Your only job, Cassius, is to secure the back gate of the mansion."
"But what about the Head Butler?" Cassius asked, his voice steady but laced with concern.
"Has that old crook ever once caught us during all our secret outings?" she asked, a teasing lilt to her voice.
Cassius remained silent, unwilling to engage in her provocation, and simply replied "I will secure the gates by the night."
"See you at night then," the Duchess called out merrily, her voice light with excitement. She skipped out of the room with a carefree hop, her movements almost childlike, as if the weight of the world didn’t rest on her shoulders.
Cassius could only watch her back not knowing that he should have rejected the Duchess’s orders and that his agreement would lead to the Duchess having her last secret outing together.
