18 Chapter 18

"Feed her this." Katsumi said as she handed the glass vial to the knight behind her. 

The knight respectfully bowed and accepted the glass vial then opened the gates of the cell. The knights roughly pulled the woman into a sitting position as they forced open her mouth. The woman fought fiercely with them but she was just an ordinary human without her powers at this moment and was obviously overpowered by the vampire knights. 

As the sparkling blue liquid invaded her body, she felt her spine go numb and his head felt lighter. It was as if she was intoxicated, not having full control of her body. She clutched her throat and forced heaved but nothing came out. 

"Wh-What did you feed me?! Is it poison? Aren't you afraid Damien would see just how wicked you are and leave you?!" The woman said emotionally as she was driven by anxiety and paranoia. 

Katsumi raised an eyebrow when she heard this and couldn't help but let out a chuckle which made the woman pause in her struggle. 

"I'll have you know that my husband was well aware of my character before we became lovers so your threat is nothing to me. Anyhow, what's your name?" Katsumi asked as she looked down on the woman sitting on the muddy ground. 

"I'm Hiromi Damara." Hiromi said, her face still held the same expression but her lips moved to answer as if it weren't her own. 

This made Hiromi gasp and cover her mouth using her dirty hands as she glared at Katsumi. The Duchess asked her a few more questions which confirmed the liquid's efficacy, earning a nod of approval from her. 

"Now then let's get down to business. On XX XX, XXX (date) Damien went to the temple to attend the annual meeting, tell me exactly why and how Damien was poisoned." Katsumi said. 

"Ha! You think I'll—" Hiromi stopped abruptly, her lips were twitching. 

Upon realizing something, Hiromi was just about to cover her mouth but Katsumi was faster than her who immediately gave a look to the knights to restrain Hiromi. Hiromi's eyes widened in horror as she spoke uncontrollably. 

"That day, I heard Damien entered the temple to attend the annual meeting so I was happy upon hearing it. However I also heard that that would be the last time he'll be attending. Those annual meetings were the ones I looked forward to the most since only that time will I be able to see him but upon hearing that news, it made me feel desperate. I was content at first just gazing at him from afar, knowing that he's from the dark regions and already has a family, I knew that we don't have hope for each other."

Katsumi furrowed her eyebrows once more in displeasure. Hiromi was clearly delusional just from those words alone. 

"I wanted him. I wanted him to stay with me and live a happy life with me. I've never wanted anything from my life but him. Whenever I see him or think of him, I feel so alive. It lessened the loneliness I was feeling. Just thinking of him whenever I'm upset cheers me up. I fell deeper and deeper until I wasn't able to extricate myself from it. He was the very first choice I've ever made so I had to make him stay or notice me and leave a deep impression on him. So he would remember me and think of me just as much as I think of him." Hiromi's face was scrunched up in anger, wanting to stop herself from speaking but wasn't able to. 

'What a lunatic. Entirely bonkers.' Katsumi couldn't help but feel irritated with just how delusional Hiromi can be. 

"To make him stay, I decided to pour my own blood in his wine. I was extremely on tenterhooks while waiting for him to drink it and was extremely delighted when he did. Mana poisoning had always been a slow acting process so while he was strolling through the garden alone, that's when I decided to follow him. Just as he noticed my presence, the poison finally reacted rendering him immobile and so out of it. I know it's wrong to make him undergo so much pain but what can I do? It was the only way I can think of to make him mine. I just love him so much." Hiromi was already crying this time, her eyes clearly held her delusion. 

"I didn't want him to be in pain anymore so I used my body to take back my mana that was in him. I worked hard and sacrificed myself so that he could see just how sincere my feelings were to him but even though I was the one saving him, he was calling out your name instead of mine! How hateful! And when he came to, he just casted me aside like a worn out shoe. He also had the nerve to kill me but the paladins were able to stop him in time. Although he treated me harshly and ungratefully, I still love him so I forgave him. It was a pity that it was the last time I'd ever see him. That's what I thought until I conceived the seed from our love." Hiromi's eyes held a joyful emotion but tears still continued streaming down her face. 

"That seed gave me the hope and will to continue living. That child was what he left behind for me so I was extremely happy. With that seed, I'd be able to see him in the future and live the happy life I've dreamt of with him. So after a few years, I left the temple to look for Damien but I heard he was still with his wife. I was so angry. I mean are you stupid? Why would you still be with a man who cheated on you? Your very existence was the hindrance to our love so I had to eliminate you. With you gone, he'd be entirely mine." 

Katsumi couldn't keep her calm anymore and whipped Hiromi. She avoided hitting her mouth since she still needs that to speak even though it's full of bullshit. Every hit than landed on Hiromi made her scream bloody murder. Katsumi stopped when she finally somewhat eased the irritation that she was feeling from all her nonsense. 

"I needed help to do that and found Count Morino to back me up. He's a good ally since he had a personal grudge against you and so I used the resources he gave me to eradicate you. I hired the best mercenaries and I was confident that you'd surely die. However things suddenly spiraled out of my control, making every effort I put into this to waste! I hate you! Because of you, Damien won't even spare me a glance! You hateful bitch!" Although her voice was ragged and small, it was still clearly heard by everyone since vampires have naturally sensitive senses. 

"Ha! You're not only a nutjob but also a terrible mother, you don't even deserve to be called one. You sent your daughter here with the possibility that she'd die but you don't care at all. I'd love to break this to you so even if I didn't exist, I'm sure my husband would still not be interested in you even in the slightest bit. You know why? Because you have a stinking personality. My husband has terribly sensitive senses, just a whiff of you would make him hack you to death. Not to mention, fragile little bunnies aren't his type at all." As Katsumi said this, she stepped on Hiromi's legs and crushed it. 

The sound of bones snapping as if being grounded into dust were heard, making whoever hears it shiver in fear. Hiromi screamed in pain once more as her face was stained with tears, snot, and saliva. 

"You called me a bitch. Let's see which of us would bark." Katsumi said. 

Then she ordered the knights to put a dog collar around Hiromi's neck. The chains on her foot were removed in the process. Katsumi tugged on the leash, making Hiromi be dragged forward since a vampire's strength was no joke. 

"Now then, let's go for a walk, shall we?" 

Katsumi was riding a horse, enjoying the wind while holding a leash on her hand. The horse was running at a slow pace but it still made the person behind hard to follow. Hiromi's other leg was crushed and now covered in bruises and wounds that looked ghastly. 

Her skin were peeled off from trying to catch up with the horse, a tight leash around her neck was keeping her from escaping.She fell many times, causing for her to be dragged by the horse, her skin were covered in wounds and bruises while the peeled off skin were bleeding nonstop, looking like a tender meat ready to be grilled. 

She was panting heavily as she switched from unconscious to conscious state, back and forth. When the horse stopped moving, she fell on the ground. Unable to stand anymore due to exhaustion and the wounds she acquired from this exercise. 

Katsumi jumped off her horse and stood in front of Hiromi. 

"Bark if you don't want to do this again." Katsumi said, her expression was cold. 

Hiromi wanted to protest but she was just too weak at that moment. Although she didn't want to, she had no choice but to comply. 

"W-woof… *cough*." After Hiromi barked, she vomited a mouthful of blood. 

"Tch. Pathetic." Katsumi said and was just about to ride her horse when she heard a voice that made her halt her actions. 

When Hiromi heard the voice, a joyful emotion surged from her heart, flowing all throughout her body. She assumed that he came to stop this torture but when she heard the words he spoke, it made her heart drop and she felt cold and numb all over. 

"Wife! I heard you were out for a walk so I decided to accompany you. I…didn't expect that you were busy at the moment, walking the… dog." When Damien saw Hiromi, his blood boiled and his claws ached to tear that woman into pieces. 

But since he handed her over to his wife, he couldn't act rashly lest it cause displeasure to his wife. So he could only settle into insulting Hiromi. When Katsumi heard his remark, a faint smirk could be seen on her face but she masked it with a cough. 

"Yes well, I'm training her to be obedient and let her know who's in charge here." Katsumi said. 

They locked gazes with each other while a faint smile hung on their lips, creating an ambiguous atmosphere. Hiromi, who was on the ground and forced to witness this blatant display of affection, could only weep in silence as her fantasies crumbled. At this moment, she only thought how painful it was but the well-being of the daughter she sent here never crossed her mind. 

Although Damien could feel that Katsumi eased him a little, he still couldn't act rashly or else it would just make her uncomfortable and avoid him. He had not shown his sincerity yet, had not wooed her yet. If possible he wanted for them to start all over again and rewrite the painful memories into happy ones. 

Hiromi was thrown back into the dungeons. Katsumi and Damien were together in the stables, with only the two of them and the horses in it. Katsumi patted the horse's head while Damien stood on the side, watching his wife with eyes filled with affection and longing. 

There was only silence between them but it was strangely comfortable. It created a harmonious atmosphere as the sun setting on the horizon kept the mood warm. 

"Do you remember when we first met? It was also in the stables but in the academy. You were being so arrogant and noisy so I challenged you to a duel and won." Katsumi suddenly said, her attention was kept on the horse but it was clear that she was talking to Damien. 

"Yes, I remember. You were really stunningly beautiful as you rode the horse and when you won the bet, your proud appearance really ensnared me." Damien said with a smile, his eyes were out of focus, recalling the past.

There was silence once more. Just as Damien was about to speak to keep the conversation going, Katsumi spoke first. 

"What happened back then, really left a shadow in my heart and after knowing that you had a child with a woman that wasn't me, it…really hurt. It hurts so much that just thinking about you makes me cry…" 

Damien looked down, he felt as if his heart dropped and felt cold all over. A throbbing pain spread throughout his chest. He thought things were going well and that they could keep this way and slowly mend things. 

'But was I overconfident after all?'

Damien didn't speak. He wanted to but he felt there was a lump on his throat, blocking him from speaking. He was also afraid that if he spoke, it would just agitate her more and decide to completely leave him. 

"However, after knowing the entire truth of the matter, it made me feel relieved and the shadow in my heart finally receded. So I want to make a bet. If you win against me, then I'll come back but if you lose, you'll have to woo me until I say it's enough." Katsumi said with a smile. 

When Damien looked at Katsumi to confirm that she was being sincere, the genuine smile on her face caused a joyful emotion to well up within him. 

They raced to the horizon with a joyful emotion overflowing within their hearts. As the sun was replaced by the moon, the final victor was him.