The Duchesses

Chapter 74 : We Win the War, but Lost the Battle

Cheers and applause erupt from the crowd as the final two people to survive to make their way. Their triumph is celebrated with bursts of fireworks displays and showered with flower petals as they make their way to the stage. But, unfortunately, with its various lights and deafening sounds, the brightening stadium doesn't even blind or hear the other two characters.

They were so preoccupied with their grief over Medea that they didn't even notice when the sparks in the two people's eyes disappeared. However, Eryx sees the loss of the two in the mourning seas, begging to be saved from drowning in them. He heard the bell earlier, ringing so loudly with much blood on the Imperial Knights' attires, but praying with his heart that people would survive.

"Where's Medea?" he leans forward, narrowing his eyes to focus on two figures who never glance at anything. Instead, their eyes burn upward where Ares is seated.

He jogs to his recent memories with Ares and the Pope in tea time. Did something happen on there? When he arrived late, he discovered Ares subtly mocking him, forcing him to storm outside again.

"This time, the number of injured and casualties at the Eirene Festival is lower than in prior years. Unfortunately, however, we had four deaths this year, two from the Angelos and one from the Elestrus and Ilemia. And that will be Lord Jade of Elestrus, Lord Maximus of Ilemia and Lord Julian, and Duchess Medea of the Angelos Empire," the announcer states as the crowd go in mixed emotions.

There is a moment of silence as the audience mourns the deaths among them. It shocked many that the Angelos had suffered disproportionately more casualties than any other group. Some people are secretly happy with the news, while others are deeply saddened.

"Duchess Medea is dead?"

"Isn't it better? She is the one who brings the misfortune towards the Empire?"

"Shut it."

Moreover, the competitors can see it as if all lies all along. Like a lioness on the prowl, Duchess Medea wreaks havoc on anybody who crosses her path. It's sad to think that this might be her final outcome.

Even if Angelos triumphed in the heat of the moment, his side ultimately lost the fight. His mouth turns into a smirk, but his hand grip his thigh for it.

"You shouldn't deceive me in the first place."

"For the winner of the Eirene Festival, the reigning champion is the Angelos, with Marquess Alwyn and Duchess Smith as the sole survivors! Give a round of applause to both of them," Smith and Alwyn don't even bother to look up at anyone as their hazy eyes look in the space.

Strangely, they feel nothing. They have everything in them, but why? Why is it so empty and hollow inside? Medea's death takes a big chunk of their hearts away with her. Duchess Smith lets out a small sigh, forcing herself into an acting mode after making up her mind firmly to avenge the killer. That's none other than Ares.

"Duchess Smith, Marquess Alwyn. As the winners of the Eirene Festival, I shall grant you both one wish. What is the thing you most desire about?" the cruel tyrant asks with his eyes gleaming with hope and pure happiness, twisting every gut of both of them not to kill him right and there.

The mass waiting for them to utter each wish in anticipation. The more they look at both of them, the more they want to hold back from killing Ares in front of them. He is just within reach to slash his head.

"I wish for the Southeast area as one of my territory, Your Majesty," Duchess Smith's wish caused a wobbling situation among people.

The Southeast area is a desert in Angelos Empire, with acidic land. No one lived there after the war erupted a few years ago since it fills with skeletons and corpses of the dead one. Moreover, the land can't grow plants, and its water can't be drunk. Some rumours say that it is the land of the devil, and anyone who steps foot in the cursed place will bear misfortune for seven generations in their family.