I Choose The Villain Duke

Euphemia saw the smoke first. Even from the carriage, there was an unmistakable smell of burning in the air. Euphemia's heart pounded. She had a bad feeling.

Rubiella seemed to sense her discomfort.

"Father dear, I would have to ask our driver to bring us to the Ashburn Residence first," Rubiella said.

Her father looked irritated. "What's your business there?"

"It's of utmost importance to the Saintess. Please, Father," Rubiella pleaded.

Lord Edward sighed then nodded. Rubiella informed the carriage driver to bring them to the Ashburn Residence first.

"I think the mansion is burning, daughter," Lord Edward said as if in awe.

The smoke was getting thicker.

"Lord Summers, shall I turn back? It's too dangerous!" The carriage driver yelled from outside.

Euphemia threw the carriage door wide open and leapt out of it.

"Maid! Where are you going?!"

Euphemia ran. She took off the maid cap and tied it to her nose instead like a mask. She took off the apron tied to her waist and tied it above her head like a hood.

Lucien. Please. Please be alive.

Then she saw the mansion. A raging inferno. The fire had almost fully consumed it. Only the bare bones of its structure was barely hanging. She had to get him. She had to get Lucien out of the mansion fast. 

Her eyes filled with tears. She wasn't sure if it was because of the smoke or because she was afraid that Lucien was already burning in the fire.

"LUCIEN!" Euphemia screamed.

The smoke was starting to fill her lungs. It was getting hard to breathe. It was getting hard to see but she continued running towards the fire.

"LUCIEN!"

Please be alive. She didn't care that he had abandoned her in the palace. There must be an explanation for that. It didn't erase all the good things he did for her. All those times he took care of her. His sweet words. His sweet smile. His promise to protect her.

This time she would protect him. She just needed him to be alive.

"LUCIEN!"

She could feel the heat of the fire. She braced herself to leap inside the burning mansion.

WHOOSH!

A gust of wind from within the mansion extinguished the fire in an instant. No flames remained. Not even a spark.

What just happened?

The mansion still looked burned, extremely so, but it was no longer burning.

Euphemia was stunned in shock but then she quickly dismissed the ridiculous magical disappearance of the fire and resolved to look for Lucien inside.

"LUCIEN! WHERE ARE YOU?"

Euphemia called out. Her voice carried over to the burned down corridors. The mansion that used to look so elegantly decorated was charred black and broken.

She went inside the study. For some reason, she had the feeling that he would be there.

And there he was.

He was just standing there unmoving. 

His eyes were burning in brilliant gold. 

"LUCIEN!"

Euphemia ran towards him. He was expressionless. He was obviously alive but it was as if he had no soul. And his eyes, why where they gold? 

"Lucien, are you all right?" Euphemia asked, shaking him. 

There was no response. Perhaps he was hurt. Her senses were screaming at her that something was wrong with Lucien. She closed her eyes and imagined a warm golden light. As gold as his eyes.

"Banish the pain with might!

Bless thee with healing light!"

Light burst out of her hands and enveloped Lucien then it slowly disappeared.

Lucien's eyes turned back to his original color of emerald green.

Then he smiled at her.

*

*

*

Lucien pulled her into a hug. He inhaled her scent, burying his face in her hair. Euphee. He could finally hold her again.

"I'm so sorry," he said, his voice muffled.

She hugged him back.

"It's all right. Everything will be all right, Luci," she said, rubbing his back. 

That nickname.

He released her a bit to look at her face. She was smiling.

"That's what Mother used to call me. I just . . . remembered," Lucien said.

"Do you like it, Lu-ci?" Euphemia asked.

Lucien nodded. "I love it."

He hugged her again. He wanted to say more but he had the feeling that it was not yet time for those words to be said.

Euphemia pulled away a bit and stared at him with a pondering look.

"Your eyes. I could swear that those were gold earlier," she murmured.

Lucien nodded, took her hand and kissed the back of it.

"I'll explain later. Let's get out of here," Lucien said.

He held her hand as they walked the burned corridor.

"YOUR GRACE! YOUR GRACE!!!" 

They whirled around and saw Hansel running towards them.

"Are you unharmed, Your Grace?" Hansel asked, inspecting him, dusting off the ash on him, and inspecting him again. 

"I'm fine, Hans. I apologize. I couldn't stop the fire," Lucien said.

"But you saved me. You made sure I wasn't going to be caught up in the fire," Hansel said. 

Lucien smiled.

It was true. It took all of his willpower to influence his enslaved self to have Hansel confined in the wine cellar where he knew the fire would not spread to. Fortunately, it worked. 

"Welcome back, Your Grace," Hansel said with a satisfied smile.

"Yes, I have returned. Thank you for your help, Hans," Lucien said.

He knew that Hansel must have something to do with Euphemia's escape from the palace. 

Hansel placed his hand on his own chest and bowed his head.

"As your head butler, and I think your only butler remaining, I would just like to say that it's my honor to be of service to you," Hansel said.

Lucien smiled. It felt good to be back. 

Hansel turned his attention to Euphemia. "Thank you for saving His Grace, Lady Euphemia. His Grace was not of sound mind for a while due to a slave magic imposed on him. Please do forgive him."

"Slave magic?! You were enslaved?!" Euphemia said with a horrified look.

Lucien nodded. "I'll explain along the way. Let's get of here first."

*

*

*

They emerged out of the burned mansion.

"HANSEL!!"

A flurry of red. Then the red thing jumped and clung to Hansel's neck, hugging him tight. 

"Urk! C-choking. Too tight," Hansel sputtered out. It was Rubiella and she was crying.

"I thought you were . . ."

She loosened her hug and Hansel could breathe again. 

Hansel petted her head. "I'm perfectly fine, my lady."

"You should have gotten out! Why were you still inside?!" Rubiella said angrily, hitting his chest lightly while tears streamed down her cheeks. 

"I was locked up inside the wine cellar, my lady," Hansel said with a wry smile directed at Lucien.

Rubiella turned to Lucien fuming in rage.

"How dare you lock up my Hansel in your burning mansion?! You don't have the right! If someone is to lock him up, it should be me!" Rubiella screamed at Lucien.

Euphemia struggled in holding her laughter and approached Rubiella. 

"It's not Luci's fault. He was under the influence of a slave contract and he locked up Hansel in the wine cellar so he can be safe," Rubiella said.

"LUCI?! When did the two of you become that close?! I haven't even called my Hansel with a nickname yet! And he still doesn't call me with a nickname!" Rubiella said still in a fit of rage.

"I'm truly sorry, Lady Summers. I have put your Hansel in danger," Lucien said, struggling to not laugh too. 

"Yes, you truly did! What if he died in there?! We haven't even done things yet!" Rubiella screamed shrilly. 

Hansel hugged her from behind and leaned close to her ear.

"My lady, nothing bad has happened to me. All my parts are intact and functioning," Hansel said then he lowered his voice to a whisper. "If my lady wishes, you can check."

Rubiella reddened and glared at him then sighed.

"I'm glad you're all right. I was just really worried when I saw the mansion burning," Rubiella said, glaring at him. 

"We need to get to the Imperial Palace but I think I've lost all of my servants. I don't think I even own a carriage right now," Lucien said, looking around at the empty field. 

"I'm still here but I can't bring you to the Palace without a carriage, Your Grace," Hansel said.

"Not to worry. The carriage should arrive now," Rubiella said with confidence.

True to her words, a carriage did arrive.

"I told my father to send a carriage here to pick me up but I can't exactly go with you. I have a prince to avoid. Go ahead first and you can pick us up afterwards," Rubiella said.

"Thank you so much, Ruby," Euphemia said warmly. 

Rubiella hugged her. "Go beat that prince's arse, Euphee. The queen too if you can."

Lucien and Euphemia got in the carriage while Rubiella and Hansel were left in front of the burned Ashburn Residence.

Rubiella turned to Hansel.

"You were saying something about letting me check if all your parts are intact. I wish to do that now. Is that all right, Hansel?" Rubiella asked with a mischievous smile.

Hansel gulped.

*

*

*

Lucien pulled Euphemia into his arms again. A part of him almost believed that he would not be able to get out and see her again.

"Thank you for saving me, Euphee," Lucien said.

Euphemia smiled. "Thank you for coming back."

He pulled back to look at her. She was wearing a maid uniform but she still looked so beautiful and elegant.

"How were you in the Palace?" Lucien asked.

Euphemia grimaced. "The prince poisoned me but I somehow survived."

Lucien's eyes glowed.

"But I did manage to put an ugly scar on his face. He looks monstrous right now," Euphemia said and laughed.

Lucien's eyes turned back to green and he smiled at Euphemia warmly. He looked forward seeing the prince and the queen's reactions when they see his golden eyes.