The Fated Sword: The Duke's Second Life

Chapter 4

Maxwell knew that killing Consort Shera now would only destroy the greater opportunity he had been given.

The Emperor still trusted him, while Shera was the Emperor's younger sister, the woman he had been ordered to protect. If Maxwell acted recklessly, everything he had planned would end before it even began.

He stood at the entrance of the garden when he saw Consort Shera speaking with someone.

Darius. The man looked handsome, and he was younger than Maxwell.

Maxwell's steps paused for a moment, but his expression remained calm.

So he was here.

Maxwell showed no surprise. His gaze merely passed over Darius as though the man were no more important than any other palace servant who happened to be in the garden.

Darius noticed his master's cold attitude as well. His brows drew together, but he did not dare ask any questions.

The two men exchanged glances for several seconds.

But Maxwell soon looked away, as though there were nothing about Darius's presence worth noticing.

Shera, who had been standing beside Darius, immediately turned around. The moment she saw Maxwell, her face brightened.

"Duke Maxwell!"

She hurried toward him, completely ignoring the etiquette expected of a Consort in the presence of others.

"You're finally here, Duke. I've been waiting for you for quite some time."

Maxwell merely raised an eyebrow.

Shera stopped directly in front of him, her eyes filled with the coy affection that had once been enough to melt his heart.

"Duke, I thought you wouldn't come after making me wait this long. Liora must have kept you occupied again with her wild behavior."

Maxwell shot Consort Shera a sharp look. He disliked hearing her speak about Liora that way.

"I told you I would come." His voice remained calm.

Shera smiled and said, "I know, but I still wanted to see you sooner. You have no idea how boring it is to wait for you all by myself."

All by herself?

Maxwell glanced at Darius. He had no intention of guessing what the two of them had been doing before he arrived.

When Consort Shera reached out to take Maxwell's arm, he immediately stepped aside, leaving her hand grasping nothing but air.

Her smile froze slightly.

"Eh? Duke, why are you avoiding me?"

"I'm not avoiding you."

"Then let me hug you."

Shera stepped forward again. This time, she raised both arms, clearly intending to embrace him.

Maxwell immediately turned around and walked away.

The sudden movement caused Shera to lose her balance.

Her body stumbled forward.

"Duke!"

Darius moved quickly and caught Shera around the waist before she fell to the ground.

The garden suddenly fell silent.

Maxwell stopped and slowly turned around.

Shera was still in Darius's arms.

"Be careful, Consort Shera," Darius said. His voice was gentle and filled with concern.

It was the same kind of voice Maxwell had heard just before he died.

Shera's face flushed, while Darius quickly released her.

Maxwell looked at the two of them for several moments before the corner of his lips lifted into a cold smile.

"You two seem to be quite in sync. Luckily, Darius was there to catch you."

Shera immediately straightened her dress and complained, "It's not what you think, Duke Maxwell. I simply lost my balance. You didn't even catch me. You're the one who should be responsible for this. Ah, look at my makeup. It's all ruined now."

Maxwell did not argue with her. Instead, his gaze shifted toward Darius.

"Then, perhaps I should thank you for catching her?"

Darius lowered his head. "It was only a coincidence, Your Grace."

"Is that so?"

Darius did not answer.

Maxwell turned his attention back to Shera.

"Why were you looking for me?"

Shera took a breath before putting her sweet smile back on, as though nothing had happened.

"I actually wanted to ask for your permission, dear Duke. In a few days, the Maxwell family has been asked to send a representative to present the rare flower grown in the family garden to Her Majesty the Empress, and I want to represent the Maxwell family at the event."

Maxwell did not answer immediately.

That flower.

The Purple Aurora, a rare flower that required meticulous care.

His gaze darkened slightly.

He knew exactly which flower Shera was referring to.

The rare flower had been cared for by Liora for nearly two years. Liora had spent months studying the best soil, the proper amount of water, the temperature, and even the direction of sunlight the flower needed to survive.

Whenever she had free time, Liora would even go to other gardens herself to search for the right fertilizer, then spend hours mixing it until late at night.

No one deserved to stand beside that flower more than Liora.

Yet in his previous life, Shera had made the same request.

Maxwell still remembered how the woman had approached him with a sweet expression, telling him that the opportunity would make the Maxwell family proud. Shera had pouted and acted coy until Maxwell eventually gave in and granted her permission.

He had not even cared about Liora's feelings.

He had not cared when he saw his wife standing in the garden with a pale face as the flower she had spent two years nurturing was taken away.

And when the group returned, the flowerpot came back with them, shattered beyond repair.

It had not been an accident.

Maxwell knew that.

He knew Shera had deliberately allowed it to fall, yet at the time, he had chosen to remain silent. To him, a flowerpot was not something worth making an issue over. It was nothing important enough to cause a fuss about.

Back then, all he wanted was to hear Consort Shera's sweet voice. Whenever they were intimate in bed, she would pretend to be weak and shower him with praise about his strength and prowess, making him feel valued as a powerful and conquering man.

Now, that memory felt like a slap across his face.

It had all been an act.

At it was not simply because the flower had been destroyed.

It was because he had once watched Liora stare at the broken pot with tears of sorrow in her eyes, while he stood there and chose to defend Shera, ignoring Liora's trembling body as she held the ruined flower and wept uncontrollably.

Maxwell's jaw tightened.

Shera did not notice the change in his expression. Instead, she smiled expectantly.

"Duke Maxwell, I want Her Majesty to see the beauty of the flower herself. I'm certain she will be very pleased if I introduce Purple Aurora  as part of the Maxwell family's garden. She will be proud of how clever and attentive the Maxwell family's Consort is when it comes to caring for such a rare plant."

"Is that all?" Maxwell asked flatly.

He stared at her long enough for Shera's smile to slowly disappear.

"You want to use Liora's hard work to show yourself off in front of Her Majesty?"

Shera fell silent.

Maxwell continued in a low, firm voice, "Is this all you are capable of as a Consort? Taking someone else's work and using it to gain praise?"

Shera's face paled.

"Duke Maxwell, I didn't mean it that way. I only thought that, as a Consort—"

"If you want to stand before Her Majesty and receive praise, use something you actually accomplished yourself."

Shera clenched her hands beneath her sleeves.

She had never expected Maxwell to reject her request in such a manner.

Before she could defend herself, however, Maxwell had already turned away.

"But Duke Maxwell, please listen to me first."

Shera's voice suddenly became soft.

Maxwell stopped but did not turn around.

Shera walked closer and said coyly, "Will you come to my chambers tonight, Duke? I miss you, darling. We could spend the night together like we did last night. We could stay intimate until morning, or perhaps even spend two days and two nights together."

Maxwell slowly turned around.

His gaze was so calm that Shera could not read what was going through his mind.

"I'll be staying with Liora tonight."

Shera's smile disappeared instantly.

Maxwell offered no explanation. He simply left the garden with steady steps.

Shera stood frozen, staring at his retreating back.

Then her expression changed.

Anger filled her eyes.

"He rejected me?"

Darius remained silent.

Shera bit her lip in frustration.

Until now, Maxwell had always been easy to sway with a little affection. All she had to do was pout, smile, or put on a sorrowful expression, and Maxwell would give her whatever she wanted.

Now, he had not even given her the chance to finish her sentence.

Shera clenched her fists.

"Since when did he dare to treat me like this?"

Darius stared in the direction Maxwell had gone, his expression serious.

He had no answer.

But one thing had become clear.

Duke Maxwell was no longer as easy to control as they had thought.

"Because of Liora?"

Darius merely shrugged. He truly had no idea how Maxwell could have changed so drastically.

"D*mn You, Liora!"