The Possessed Evil Woman Wreaks Havoc - Chapter 54

Those who didn’t know Gabriel Dunkeld well cursed him as a madman behind his back.

Those who did know him well called him the most unparalleled madman in the world.

Of course, openly saying such things to his face would lead to a brutal reckoning, so everyone resorted to speaking ill of him behind his back.

In the Dunkeld family’s training grounds, Gabriel’s cheerful voice rang out.

“Oh dear. Your stance is faltering.”

“Tsk. You’re not supposed to swing your sword like that.”

“Can you really not block an attack of this level? Am I the only one worried that the title ‘Sword of the Temple’ might be tarnished?”

‘Wow. It seems the Young Duke has finally gone insane.’

‘Isn’t that the prince?’

‘I always knew the Young Duke had no sense of hierarchy, but I never thought he’d behave like this with imperial family.’

These were the unspoken thoughts of the knights observing the scene.

The knights under Gabriel’s command collectively decided to amend his title to the “Madman with No Tomorrow.”

In the training grounds, a sparring match was underway.

The Dunkeld knights, standing awkwardly, half-heartedly engaged in their own sparring while watching Gabby torment an unfortunate young man.

Normally, the person in that position would have been one of the knights from the family…

But today, the man being mercilessly beaten with a wooden sword was someone the young lady had brought home after returning from her escapades.

If he were just an ordinary man, they would’ve dismissed it as another day of “The Young Duke being the Young Duke.”

Unfortunately, the victim was a prince—specifically, Prince Kayden, who had spent years patrolling remote temples and defending the empire against monsters.

The Dunkeld knights, who were mostly lower-ranking nobles or commoners, knew little about high-level power struggles. What they did know was that a prince outranked their young duke by a long shot.

Then it happened.

Gabriel threw sand at the prince’s face mid-duel.

Fortunately, before the sand hit him, the prince dodged by lowering his head.

At that moment, the Dunkeld knights couldn’t hide their disdain for their master.

What kind of thug throws sand in a duel? You’re supposed to be a knight!

“Do you think enemies on the battlefield will fight honorably?”

Gabriel, seemingly aware that his actions were somewhat unsportsmanlike, offered a flimsy excuse.

Still unsatisfied, he added another justification.

“If you insist on being the escort knight for someone else’s house’s troublemaker, you should at least be prepared for this much.”

“Be mindful of how you refer to the saintess.”

For the first time, the prince, who had endured Gabriel’s abuse in silence, spoke up.

Gabriel flinched momentarily but responded in a louder voice.

“I suppose you wouldn’t understand sibling affection, Your Highness. ‘Troublemaker’ is just a common term of endearment between loving siblings.”

Since when?

The Dunkeld knights exchanged glances.

‘Does “troublemaker” have a meaning I don’t know about?’

‘No way. The Young Duke is just spouting nonsense again. This isn’t the first time.’

‘Right. And calling them ‘loving siblings’? What kind of absurdity is that?’

Gabriel had always been indifferent to his younger sister, Lady Isabella. Even when she debuted in society and began causing trouble, his reaction was one of disdain and disgust rather than affection.

Their sibling relationship had always been terrible. Recently, there seemed to be a slight change, but…

‘Come to think of it.’

The deputy knight commander, observing from a distance, suddenly recalled something.

‘Why can’t I remember much about Lady Isabella’s childhood?’

He had been a knight of the Dunkeld family for over twenty years, serving even when the lady was born.

So why…?

The deputy knight commander racked his brain, trying to recall her childhood.

The Dunkeld family only had two children. With the lady losing her mother at a young age, it would have been natural to pay more attention to her.

Why, then, could he only vaguely recall a pale-faced child and nothing more?

In recent years, he vividly remembered her actions—it was hard to forget someone who caused so much trouble daily.

As a trusted vassal of the Duke, he had even been tasked with cleaning up some of the messes she caused.

‘I suppose my memory isn’t what it used to be.’

The deputy knight commander dismissed his doubts and thought no more of it.

Meanwhile, in the training grounds, Gabriel’s taunts and the intermittent clash of wooden swords continued to echo.

No one noticed the figure watching them from above.

***

I looked out at the training grounds from the window.

“It seems Gabby has found his calling.”

“…Gabriel has always shown exceptional talent for training others from a young age.”

“Does that look like training to you?”

“…Just let him be. Gabriel may be impulsive, but he knows how to stay within bounds.”

“……?”

I stared at the Duke in disbelief.

Sensing my skepticism, he cleared his throat awkwardly.

“Ahem. Let’s just have some tea.”

I picked up the teacup in front of me and took a sip. The bitterness made me grimace, and I grabbed a handful of sugar cubes to add to the tea.

When I sipped again, it finally suited my taste.

The Duke, who had been silently watching, spoke, “Your mother had a fondness for sweets too.”

His wistful tone made me pause.

This morning, while I was lazing in bed after breakfast, the Duke had sent a servant to my room. He said he wanted to have tea with me.

Since building a closer relationship with him was part of my plan, I accepted the invitation.

Now, here I was, having tea with him in his study.

As I looked around, my gaze landed on a framed picture on his desk.

The frame held a portrait of a smiling woman.

Seeing her face, I was momentarily speechless.

“You resemble her a lot.”

Given the context, this woman had to be Isabella’s mother.

Good grief, Daphne. Where did Ethan’s traits go?

The woman in the portrait looked almost identical to Daphne.

Even as her descendant, could someone bear such a striking resemblance after hundreds of years?

Isabella’s mother was said to come from the Graham family.

How strongly did Daphne’s blood run in that lineage?

“You take after your mother quite a bit.”

I agreed with the Duke. However, Isabella also bore some resemblance to her father.

By the way, Isabella’s mother passed away fifteen years ago. During all those years, the Duke had neither remarried nor removed his late wife’s photo from his desk. He must have loved her deeply.

“I regret many things when it comes to your mother.”

Hmm?

My ears perked up. Did the Duke just admit to wronging his beloved wife?

“The thing I regret most is Gabriel. Your mother despised that name. She wasn’t fond of the temple.”

“It is a strange name.”

Who names a child after an archangel? It’s like setting them up for failure.

“…Yes. But at the time, your grandfather was a devout believer. He insisted on naming his first grandchild Gabriel.”

The Duke stared out the window, his face tinged with sorrow.

“I never realized how much that decision hurt your mother.”

‘What a pathetic human.’

I frowned deeply. He claimed to have loved his wife yet inflicted such wounds while she was alive.

Moreover, despite her dislike of the temple, he named their second child Isabella—a name known as that of an angel in the middle realm, though it belonged to a demon.

“So, was my name chosen by my grandfather too?”

“Hm?”

The Duke hesitated before shaking his head.

“I can see why you’d think so, but no. Your grandfather passed away a year before you were born.”

“Then why my name?”

“Your name wasn’t derived from an angel. It’s a name passed down in your mother’s family. It’s given when parents wish for their child’s happiness.”

As he finished speaking, the Duke’s expression darkened. He looked at me with a complex gaze.

After staring at me for a long while, he finally spoke, “Lately, I’ve been wondering. Perhaps I’m the one who’s been hindering your happiness all along.”

This…

The emotion in his voice made my ears perk up.

I see! This is the precursor to regret!

Time to steer him deeper into it.

Choosing my words carefully, I said, “An admirable self-reflection. It’s not easy to admit that you’re the problem. Your courage is commendable.”

“……”

“So, do you have something to say to me?”

I looked at the Duke with bright, expectant eyes.