1 Chapter 1

As the sky grew darker and the moon and stars grew brighter the people of the Ruby Kingdom began to end their day.

But for the rumored beast of the kingdom, his day is just getting started.

As he walk out of his big jet black Carriage embeded with Viosta symbol, the imperial knights that was waiting for his arrival stiffen at his presence.

They bowed in fear as they tremble in nervousness, when his feet touch the ground, black mist began to cover the surrounding area.

The knights was even more scared than before, some even began to kneel on their two feet as they lost their strength to stand.

But Grand Duke Leon paid no attention to the knights struggling to stand at his presence, with head held high he walked passed through them all.

Leon Viosta is the one and only Grand Duke of the Ruby Kingdom. He is known as the Beast of the kingdom due to his un-human like power and presence. No one dared to look at him in the eye for they were to scared to see the eyes of the beast.

It is said that you would see your biggest fear when you look at him in the eye. One look at him and its enough for you to lose your sanity.

His millitary achievements cannot be compared to anyone, with his own two hands he conquered various lands and killed numerous kings that dare to threathen the Kingdom of Ruby.

Some may even say that He is more powerful than the Emperor himself. "Greetings Grand Duke." John the emperor's aid said as he bow in respect to the duke.

"Where is he?" The duke asked without delay. "He is at the Sky Pavillion sire." Without wasting another minute he immediately made his way towards the Sky Pavillion.

"Leon!!" The Emperor shouted as he waved his hand at the sight of the Grand Duke. "Why did you call for me?" The Duke asked, Leon Viosta is the only person in the empire to dare show no respect to Emperor, the Emperor didn't seem to mind for he knows that Grand Duke Leon Viosta would never betray him.

He is his greatest ally at the same time his greatest enemy.

But instead of taking offense to the Grand Duke's action the Emperor pouted his lips and crossed his arms like a child. "Im boooored Leon, entertain me." The Emperor said. A twitch at the Duke's forehead can visibly be seen as anger arise from him.

In a matter of seconds the whole Pavilion began to be covered in black mist, the air became thinner and the atmosphere got heavier. The servants who was serving the Emperor instantly fell on to the ground, they grabbed their neck as they struggle to catch their breath.

The Emperor was no different, although he did not fall to the ground like the servants, he too had trouble catching his breath.

"Do I look like a clown to you Vincent?" With an evil smile the duke asked the Emperor. The Servant screamed as the black mist intensify. Making the emperor sweat.

"Wait! alright! that's not why I called you." The Emperor said, in an instant the mist disappeared and the atmosphere came back to normal. The servants was still catching their breathe.

"Can't you take a joke?" The Emperor said as he wiped his sweat from his forehead. He looked at the servants laying on the ground. "Everyone leave. I wish to talk to the Grand Duke alone." The Emperor ordered.

"Y-yes, your majesty." The servants responded as they hurriedly walked away from the place. "We found a child..." the Emperor started, "With red hair."

And with that statement a gushed of wind suddenly blew in their direction, the glass windows began to crack at the pressure. The Emperor looked Leon in the eyes, he is one of few who could look at Leon directly. Leon's eyes began to glow in golden color.

"That's not a pretty good joke, your majesty." Leon stated as he look at the Emperor with his beastly eyes, the hair at the back of the emperor's hair stood up from fear though he never showed that he was afraid.

(That eyes never seized to terrify me.) The Emperor thought. "I'm serious Leon, now calm down and let me explain."

"One of the knight found her at the orphanage at the southern part of the kingdom when they were conducting their inspection. He said that the girl most certainly have red hair and red eyes. Of course I too was shock at what he said since only those with Viosta blood can have red hair and red eyes."

"That's impossible." The duke stated with confidence. The emperor sigh "Go to that orphanage and see for yourself."

"Are you sure you don't have any love child?"

The Emperor asked cheekily, the duke glared at him. "Of course not, but I'm curious. I want to see that child for myself."

The emperor nodded, "Ok, I'll give you permission to use the portal tomorrow."

"No. I want to go now." The duke said which shock the emperor. "I'll go now. Give me the key to the portal."

"But its midnight, the children in the orphanage must be asleep by now." The Emperor tried to reason with the duke but he knew that once the duke made up his mind there's no changing it.

In the end the Emperor just sigh in frustration as he handed him the key to the portal. The Duke wasted no time he called for his knights who were waiting for him outside the palace.

"Your Grace? you called?" Jace one of the trusted knight of the Viosta said as he kneel in one knee in the presence of the duke. "Prepare yourself, were going to the South. Tell the others to meet at the portal." The duke ordered, Jace without any second thought obeyed the duke's command.

The portal is a big magical door that can transport you in a matter of second to any part of the kingdom. There is only two portal in the whole kingdom of Ruby one is located at the Imperial palace and the other is located at the Viosta dukedom.

When The Viosta knights gathered in front of the portal the duke explained where they were going, he only said that they were going to the south to inspect an orphanage but he never said why.

The Duke placed the key to the door and the door opened, Duke Viosta was the first one to enter the portal and one by one his knights followed, being inside the portal feels like being suck at an endless abyss.

When they arrived at the Southern part of the Empire they began their journey toward the orphanage. Because it was already midnight people are asleep therefore no one knew that the beast duke was in the south.

When they arrived at the orphanage the knights was stunned at how awful the condition of the building was, it was about to collapse at any moment. But the Grand Duke remain a stoic expression.

The roof was made off of thin wood the lowest of its kind, the wall was slightly bent and full of molds and the foundation was holding on to its dear life. Although the orphanage was large in size the building looks like a total mess.

"Jace." The duke said, Jace nodded as if he already knew what the duke wants. Jace banged on the front door several times, enough to wake up everyone on the orphanage.

Then a fat beard man opened the door, the man was small in height compared to the average human, his clothes was dirty and he reeks of alcohol. The smell was so bad that Jace had to stepped back.

"Who dare to banged on my door?! do you know who Iam?!" The fat man shouted, he was drunk. "The Grand Duke Leon Viosta wishes to visit this orphanage." As soon as Jace mentioned the name of the Grand Duke the man immediately sobered up as if he was back at his senses.

"G-grand D-duke?" The man stutter, then the duke got off from his horse and faced the man. With the duke's aura the man stumbled and fell on his back.

"Y-your grace. W-what brings you here to a humble orphanage?" the man said in nervousness as he kneel and bow with his head touching the ground to the Grand Duke.

Then one by one the maids who was also part of the orphanage went down one by one, when they saw the Grand Duke they instantly fell on their knees. "I want to see the children."

The duke said, "Yes of course your grace." One of the maid said as she hurriedly went up to the second floor of the orphanage. Few minutes later one by one children began to appear infront of the Grand Duke.

The Children were all malnourished, they were thin and they lack proper clothing. They were not covered in bruises nor do they show any signs of abused. "Why are they so thin? do you lack funds in this orphanage?" Jace asked the maids. The maids and the fat man flinch at Jace's question. No one was able to answer.

"Are these all the children?" The Duke asked in a serious monotone voice. "Y-yes your Grace." The fat man answered.

"Lying to the Grand duke will cost you your life. " In an instant the atmosphere became heavier and the maids and children trembled in fear. "Look at me and answer me." The duke ordered the man to look at him, tears falling from his face and his body trembling in fear.

"I- I swear your grace!" The man said, but the duke was not convince. "Brion." The duke called, Brion is one of his knight. "Yes your grace." Brion answered. "Search the whole orphanage, make sure that he's not lying."

"Your grace! have mercy! I didn't mean to--"

"Oh? I thought you were telling the truth? no need to fear." Leon said as he looked at the man, the man's fear intensify his face showed hopelessness, for he knew that the duke will find out what he was hiding.

'I'm going to die.' the man thought 'I need to escape.' as the man think of a way to escape the other maids of the orphanage began to fear for their life. All of them has one thing in common running in their mind right now.

"DUKE! COME SEE THIS!" Brion shouted as he called for the duke in a panic, "don't let any of them escape." The duke ordered his knights referring to the orphanage's people before going to where Brion was.

"No wait! please let me explaine!" the fat man shouted, but the duke paid no attention to him and continued to walk passed him.

Brion led him to the back of the orphanage, and there he saw a large tree, but that was not what caught his attention. What caught his attention is that in the branch of the tree is a red haired girl dangling from a rope. The girl was tied upside down to the branch of the tree.

'is this her?' the grand duke asked himself. The duke walked closer to the girl dangling from the tree, her hands were tied at the back of her body and her feet was also tied together with a rope.

Brion along with the duke looked a closer look at the child, "duke is she your...."

"I don't know." The duke answered before Brion could asked his question. The Child definitely has red hair, she was asleep.

'How could she sleep like this?' the duke thought. But it looks like the child has sense their presence and slowly opened her eyes.

Sh*t.

Red Eyes.

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