Seduce the hero's mother (GL)

When Razor lost consciousness out of the blue, Maxie and I were both shocked. No one could have predicted that such a thing would happen.

We spent the first half hour trying to bring the boy to his senses on our own. Maxi even gave him a good slap in the face… But nothing of the tried methods worked. In the end it was more than just a temporary blur.

We urgently needed the help of a healer.

The first thing we did was to ask for help in the village of Sorus. But the only healer left there turned out to be completely useless. According to him: he really could not understand what happened to the second prince. As he had only dealt with the simplest of illnesses before.

Meanwhile, Razor's condition was not getting any better: even after twenty-four hours he was still unconscious. Maxie and I were getting more and more worried about that.

— It seems there is no choice,» the girl sighed. «We must return to the Archduke.

I agreed with her.

What we had come for was already in our hands. There was no point in staying in this village any longer. And yet… I felt regret that I hadn't even had time to visit the Elder's grave. I might not find the time for it in the future.

Maxie encouraged me.

— We had already been to his house and paid our respects. That's enough.

— But…

— I don't think the old man's ghost is petty enough to curse you in heaven for that.

I sighed. The Marquis's daughter didn't try very hard, as usual, to find words to comfort me. That was all she was.

— Okay,» I finally gave in, «Then let's go.

The book I'd been looking for was now in my possession. I flipped through it all the way back to the capital, searching for clues. But it looked like I really couldn't do it without a dictionary.

The trip took us almost a week and a half again — even though we were in a big hurry. I was afraid we had less and less time left.

And since we didn't make a single break: we were very tired when we finally found ourselves in front of the white-washed mansion. More than anything, I wanted to sleep for several days.

Maxie stretched herself as she exited the cabin after me.

— I'll take him,» she interrupted when I was about to call the servants for him.

The girl lifted the prince on her back and carried him to the manor. I stared after them. Razor still hadn't recovered, but at least his condition was stable. That was already reassuring.

Like Maxie had said, I was going to take a little breather. But Dylan unexpectedly met me at the front door.

The guy was dressed in a standard black and white uniform. And when he saw me, he bowed at once.

— H-Hello, Your Grace!

I was delighted.

— Dylan! I didn't know you were already here.

The teenager was embarrassed.

— Your butler took me on as his apprentice… I had no idea I'd have such an opportunity!

I smiled. It seems that Andrew really managed to do everything I asked him to do. All the other ex-slaves were to be put to good use, too.

Dylan and I walked into the living room and the guy didn't dare sit in a chair, preferring instead to stand beside me.

— How do you like it here? — I asked.

— I really, really like it! — He replied excitedly. «Thank you for letting me stay here. And…» He hesitated, «They found my sister, too, thanks to you. She's working for the Earl of Transy now.

I breathed a sigh of relief.

— I'm glad to hear it.

Dylan was still staring at me in disbelief: as if he still couldn't grasp that this was happening to him. The Archduchess' secretary personally came and invited him to take up residence on their estate. Not only that… As it turned out, the boy was already acquainted with her in absentia.

True, he could not have imagined that he would meet the Archduchess under such circumstances.

— Why… Why didn't you tell me at once who you really were? — he ventured to ask.

I grinned.

— Would you have believed me?

Dylan hesitated.

— I don't know… I never would have thought that someone like you would end up on the slave market!

I let out a chuckle.

— I'm not surprised. My life has been rather unpredictable from the beginning.

To tell the truth, I've lost count of who I've been in my life. The daughter of an Archduke, a maid, a crown princess, and now a slave. If you look at it this way, my track record was quite impressive-and who knows what lay ahead of me.

— I'm glad it was you, though!» he couldn't stop admiring me. «My sister has told me so much about you…

He had no time to finish when Andrew suddenly interrupted our conversation. The secretary burst into the drawing-room unannounced and looked anxious.

— Your Grace, you have returned so suddenly! — he began,» I was going to report to you.

— What is it? — I asked quietly.

— A couple of days ago a letter arrived from the Imperial Palace.

I was disappointed.

— Is that all there is to it? I told you to burn them, didn't I?

— It's not an ordinary envelope,» Andrew objected, «There's something in it. That's why I didn't dare to destroy it before showing it to you.

— Hm?

The old man took the letter from the tray and handed it to me. Even then I sensed something strange.

That metallic smell… Why did the envelope smell like blood?

I felt the tension when I opened it.

Andrew and Dylan looked over my shoulder to see what was there. Finally, I opened the wax seal and saw its contents.

At the same moment there were traces of dried blood on my hands. I was at a loss for words.

— It's…!

My breath hitched when I saw the object.

The necklace I'd given Melinda the first time we'd met-was lying there, covered in blood.