The Grand Duchess Escape

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A deceitful smile on top of a relentless poker face. It was an incredibly strange impression. It was indescribably unsettling, and Asella’s body trembled with an inexplicable sense of unease.

“You’ve barely had a sip. Drink more.”

“I’m not good at drinking.”

“I personally selected it. Can’t you have at least one glass for my sincerity?”

Asella glanced at Calix in response to his persistently persuasive words. However, there was no change in his expression. He simply gestured lightly, indicating for her to drink.

Reluctantly, she took a sip, letting the liquid linger in her mouth before swallowing. Her throat burned, and it felt as if the delicate membranes touched by the wine were roaring in agony.

“Well done,” Calix praised, lifting his own wine glass to his lips. Red lips and red wine. Asella thought both of them were excessively crimson.

As she slowly let the wine slide down her throat, his eyes continued to stare at her persistently. It felt as though he was someone looking to confirm something.

“Not yet?” he asked as he withdrew the glass from his mouth. His words sounded peculiar. For a moment, Asella couldn’t find words to respond and fell into a daze.

“You really can hold out for a long time,” he remarked, and with that, an eerie silence descended over the room.

Indescribable but definitely strange. His words, which were difficult to discern the intent behind, and his strangely twisted face, no, the whole situation itself. It sent shivers down her spine, like living spiders crawling on her flesh.

It was when Asella could no longer bear the suffocating feeling that she rose from her seat.

Crash!

A sound of shattering pierced her ears, as if it were tearing through her. Simultaneously, her chest burned, writhing in agony.

“Guh!”

Asella’s body collapsed to the floor, a pained groan escaping her lips. Broken glass and red liquid scattered around her fallen form.

“Agh!”

With a cough, crimson blood spewed from her mouth, staining her dry hands.

‘No way…!’

Shock filled Asella’s blue eyes. She let out a silent scream. When she struggled to lift her head, she found herself locking eyes with Calix, who was now standing in a different position.

“Are you surprised?” he asked.

Asella desperately clutched her throat. It felt like she couldn’t breathe, as if someone had stuffed her throat with cotton. She instinctively wriggled her limbs, but it was a futile gesture.

“Well, you seem to be in quite a lot of pain,” he said, lowering himself leisurely, and his hand brushed against her blood-splattered cheek. There was a subtle mockery mixed in his tone. Overwhelmed by physiological horror, tears streamed down Asella’s eyes.

“I didn’t intend to make you suffer this much.”

Her organs, corroded by the poison, were deteriorating, and paralysis was spreading. Asella sobbed weakly, her mouth trembling with great effort.

“Wh-Why…”

“Because you were annoying.”

His eyes curved into a crescent moon, flashing a beautifully enchanting smile. It was a face that could never be considered that of someone who had just poisoned his wife.

“If only you had signed the divorce papers peacefully when I was asking nicely…”

“Ugh…”

“I overlooked the fact that you glimpsed the secret of Karma but now…”

“Huh…”

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