The Cold-Hearted Grand Duke Obsesses Over Me After My Death - Chapter 54

Episode 54. Levi

“Any suspicious person?”

At Louid’s question, Alex answered, “None, Your Highness.”

“Search every inch. Don’t let even an ant slip through.”

“Yes, understood.”

After receiving Jamie’s message, Alex had rushed over with the knights and soldiers. Once he finished his report, he bowed to Louid, saluted, and went back to continue the search.

‘I can’t waste time.’

If dawn arrived like this, Emilia’s life could no longer be guaranteed.

‘Levi!’

At that moment, Levi flashed into Louid’s mind.

If it was Levi… maybe he could find Emilia.

The first person Levi saw when he hatched from his egg was Emilia. Since then, Levi had always been unusually affectionate toward her and obedient to her words.

He must have imprinted on her!

A beast that hatches from an egg imprints on the first being it sees. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a human or another creature. Levi must have imprinted on Emilia.

Louid mounted his horse and galloped toward the castle at full speed.

Kraaa, kraa, krung.

The furious cries of the beast echoed all the way to the outer walls.

“Your Highness, the monster is rampaging!”

The soldier guarding the gate reported urgently. Louid nodded once and galloped straight toward the cage where Levi was kept.

Levi was slamming his whole body against the iron bars, roaring wildly as if trying to break free.

Dismounting, Louid asked the soldier guarding the cage, “Since when has he been like that?”

“Since this evening, Your Highness.”

It was the same time Emilia had been kidnapped.

‘He must have sensed that Emilia’s in danger.’

Louid was certain that Levi could find where she was.

“Bring the key.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

A moment later, Louid took the key from the soldier, unlocked the cage, and freed Levi.

“Find Emilia, Levi.”

He shouted loudly to the beast.

Levi spread his crimson wings and took off immediately. Though he still hadn’t grown enough to fly high, he could rise several dozen meters from the ground. That alone would give him a different view.

Louid mounted his horse again and followed Levi at full speed. The creature flew straight toward the forest far beyond the Grand Duke’s castle.

***

“Haa… haa….”

Her breath caught in her throat. The air filling her lungs was colder and sharper than the ice of a midwinter lake, pressing heavily against her chest.

The forest was pitch-dark, and even the moon hadn’t risen. No, perhaps it was a good thing the moon wasn’t out. The darker it was, the harder it would be for her pursuers to see her.

Emilia hugged her dress tightly to her chest and continued climbing the mountain path. She didn’t wear it, fearing it would slow her down, even though the cold bit through her bare skin.

“Ow, that stings.”

Her body, clad only in undergarments, was constantly scratched by the branches jutting out from every direction.

She stumbled and bumped against rough bark as she moved, sometimes crawling, for nearly an hour.

The forest grew even darker, but as her eyes slowly adjusted, she began to make out the shapes of the terrain.

At one point, the dense trees thinned out, revealing a small clearing. Though it was already spring, the northern forest’s chill was harsh enough to turn a living person into a block of ice.

“So cold…. I’ll rest a little before going on.”

Her whole body trembled, her teeth chattering uncontrollably. She hid behind a large boulder on the hill and crouched down.

Somewhere nearby, she heard the hoot of an owl and the distant howling of wolves.

“I can see the stars here too.”

The same stars she had seen through the secret passage were visible here as well, glittering in various colors.

‘I should tell Louid… that they’re beautiful here too.’

He was the one who had said he’d take her to see the stars through the secret passage. He would surely love this sight as well.

Her eyelids slowly began to droop as she gazed at the stars. Her vision blurred, and nausea welled in her chest.

“I’m sleepy.”

Though she was freezing and felt sick, sleep kept pulling at her.

“Louid….”

Louid’s face flashed before her eyes. He had said that if she stayed alive, he would come for her. As long as she was alive….

Her eyes, still fixed on the stars, slowly closed.

Kraaaak, krrrr, kraaak.

“What the hell?”

At the thunderous roar, the drunken kidnappers shot to their feet.

The sound drew closer and closer until it was right above the cabin’s roof. The men’s faces turned pale.

“W-what is that? What’s making that noise?”

“Look outside.”

“It’s too dark. I can’t see anything.”

One man cracked the cabin door open and peeked outside. It was nothing but pitch-black darkness.

Kraaaak.

At that moment, a red monster’s face slid into view right before his eyes. It looked like a demonic beast straight out of hell.

“Ahh! Aaaaah! It—it’s a red monster! Its teeth almost touched me!”

The terrified man stumbled backward, screaming without even closing the door.

“My ears… they’re ringing!”

Bang! Bang! Boom!

The beast began pounding the roof with its feet. The cabin shook violently, as if struck by an earthquake.

“Ahhhh!”

Another man who looked out the window screamed.

“The monster’s destroying the cabin! We have to run!”

Bang! Bang! Bang!

With the beast’s brutal strength raining down, it seemed like the cabin would collapse any second.

Kraaaaak! Kraaaa!

Its earsplitting roar continued to echo.

“Hans, get the woman out now!”

“Got it.”

The man called Hans hurriedly opened the storage room door.

“What? She’s gone!”

“What?”

The storage room was empty. The two men stared at the window without glass, their mouths agape.

She escaped through that tiny window?

It was unbelievable, but there was no other way out.

“What do we do?”

The men exchanged looks.

“Let’s run. The job doesn’t matter anymore. We need to save ourselves first. The woman’s probably going to die to that monster anyway.”

The kidnappers bolted out of the cabin and into the thick forest instead of heading toward the road.

Once they fled, Levi circled low above the cabin.

Moments later, Louid arrived on horseback in front of the cabin. Dismounting, he rushed inside.

The cabin was empty, and the small room that looked like a storage shed had its door flung wide open.

“Emilia?”

He picked up a fallen lantern and shone it inside. A brooch lay on the floor. It was a ribbon brooch that had been attached to Emilia’s dress. There was no doubt she had been here.

“Emilia? Emilia!”

Louid shouted her name and searched every corner of the cabin, then ran outside.

Krrrrr.

Levi, flying low above the cabin, let out a growl and soared upward toward the mountain peak.

The direction Levi flew led to a path impossible for horses. Louid sprinted into the forest.

Even though the path was so dark he couldn’t see an inch ahead, he ran full speed toward the sound of Levi’s cry guiding him.

After climbing for a long while, a small hill appeared. Levi circled above it. Looking closer, Louid spotted a white figure collapsed behind a large boulder at the top of the hill.

“Ah! Emilia!”

He shouted her name and ran to her.

She was lying curled up on the grass, clutching her dress tightly in her arms.

Dropping to one knee, Louid placed a finger beneath her nose. She was breathing faintly.

“Emilia! Wake up!”

He shouted, shaking her in his arms, but she didn’t respond.

When he touched her arm, it was as cold as ice. Louid quickly took off his coat and wrapped it around her, then lifted her onto his back.

Watching Louid rescue Emilia, Levi circled above the mountain once more before soaring high into the night sky.

With Emilia on his back, Louid ran down the mountain as fast as he could.

“Emilia, hang on. We’re almost there.”

He kept murmuring the words like a spell, afraid that if he stopped speaking, she might slip away completely.

By the time he reached the bottom, his knights had arrived at the cabin.

“Search the mountain thoroughly. The culprits must be nearby,” Louid shouted the order loudly.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Bring a blanket.”

When a knight ran into the cabin, found a blanket, and brought it back, Louid wrapped Emilia’s body in it, mounted his horse, and held her in his arms. There was not a moment to lose.

Even if there was a physician in a nearby mountain village, it would be too early in the morning, and every door would be closed. It was better to return to the Grand Duke’s castle as quickly as possible.

The knights split up to search the mountain, while some followed close behind him.

***

At the Grand Duke’s castle, the head butler, the head maid, and Helen paced anxiously through the lobby all night.

“What if something terrible happens to Her Highness? I was so stupid. I was right there with her….”

Helen blamed herself for not following Emilia all the way into the restroom, even though she had stayed near her throughout the concert.

“It happened in an instant. It’s not your fault. She’ll come back safely.”

The head maid comforted her gently.

“Her Highness may look fragile, but she’s strong. She’ll definitely return. Don’t worry.”

Philip, the head butler, who had been wearing a deeply worried expression the whole time, also tried to reassure Helen.

Aaron, who had remained at the castle to guard it, stood beside Eddie, both of them staring anxiously out toward the lobby.

Thud, thud, thud.

Just then, the distant sound of hooves echoed through the night.