Author's note: Hello everyone! I hope that you are healthy and safe while you're reading this. We've finally arrived at the end of Married to the Villainous Duke and I am so happy that I finished writing this! I absolutely love historical romance novels and manhwas (especially princess-isekais like Who Made a Princess and juicy romance-dramas like Remarried Empress) which inspired me to write a story of this genre. It's the first time I ever wrote something of this length and complexity so I know there were many shortcomings and flaws in my writing.
Despite that, I hope you were able to enjoy reading. Every read, like and comment means a lot to an aspiring writer like me. I appreciate each one of you and I wish nothing but peace, love and happiness for everyone! Thank you for giving your precious time to read Married to the Villainous Duke! May only peace reign in the world!
Love,
Rae
~•~ ~•~ ~•••~ ~•~ ~•~
Five years have passed since Niko and Estelle have gotten together, although Estelle prefers to use the word 'reunited' rather than getting together. He finds it adorable that his girlfriend believes they were lovers in their past life. She asserts this whenever she would tell him about her reoccuring dream of the two of them dancing in a grand ballroom, wearing clothes befitting royalty from a historical fantasy.
"Why do you think I dream about that so often, Niko? Don't you think it's because we really were lovers in a parallel universe or maybe in our previous life?"
"Or maybe it's because you read too many novels, my love. It's messing up that pretty little head of yours," Niko says and kisses her forehead.
Why do I suddenly recall that conversation? I don't really believe in past lives though... Niko thinks to himself as he looks at the row of diamond rings in front of him.
He's usually extremely cautious whenever he makes important decisions but when it comes to Estelle he doesn't even need a second to think. He's always been sure about her. From that moment in Quireghes Park when she revealed her feelings for him, Niko had already decided that Estelle would be the woman that he'll spend eternity with.
"I'll choose this one," Niko points to a simple silver ring with a beautifully cut diamond in the middle.
Tomorrow, I'll ask Estelle to marry me.
~•~ ~•~ ~•••~ ~•~ ~•~
Nikolaidis rowed through the rough sea, exhausted and starving. His desire to avenge his wife the only thing keeping him going. He's determined to go to the one place he knows where he can gain the power to bring down the Ghesquire Empire: the Cursed Land.
I'm willing to become the villain if it's for you, Estelle.
After three years of toil, Nikolaidis finally obtains the approval of the Cursed Land's Dark Lord. He can now begin his plan to tear down the Empire and the first step is to demand payment for the debt Crown Prince Henrik owes.
Henrik has become the Emperor of Ghesquire, just like what he wanted. To wield absolute authority over an entire continent made him feel beyond happy but there was a crack that ruined what could have been his perfect happiness. It was the small voice in his head that whispered everyday, "Duke Nikolaidis will return".
The Emperor's anxiety, unbeknownst to anyone else, kept him from leaving the Palace and made him order the Empire's best sorcerers to cast a protective barrier around the Imperial Palace, barring enemies and any evil entities from entering. Henrik insisted that this must be done so no more evil desecrate the Imperial Palace after the incident of the Witch of Blanchard, the cruel name that they made for Grand Duchess Estelle.
That was the reason that Henrik publicly announced but the truth was it's because of the fear that Nikolaidis would return and kill him. There were many things that Henrik hid from the people. They didn't know Nikolaidis was banished and left to die at sea. They were only told that he ran away after his wife was burned at the stake. Henrik couldn't reveal the truth about Nikolaidis because there surely would be a public outburst. Nikolaidis was a war hero and a favored duke. At that point, Henrik didn't want to risk his position especially at a crucial time when the Emperor was dying.
The barrier proved to be inferior to the dark magic of the Cursed Land on the celebration of Henrik's only son's, Crown Prince Klavin, fifth birthday. Nikolaidis, bestowed with black mana by the Dark Lord, emerges from the shadows in the Imperial Palace's ballroom, undetected and unscathed.
"I have come to collect the debt that you owe, Crown Prince Henrik."
All color drain from Henrik's face as he gapes in horror as Nikolaidis stares at him with cold steely blue eyes devoid of humanity, no longer the warm blue ones that used to reflect a mixture of wariness and pity, "oh my apologies, you're no longer the Crown Prince."
Nikolaids bows mockingly, "may the gods pour blessings upon all your days, your imperial majesty, Emperor Henrik Ludington de Ghesquire."
"T-The barrier? How?!" Henrik stuttered.
"Protect the Emperor!" The Captain of the Imperial Knights shouts.
They all thought Nikolaidis was after the head of Emperor Henrik but they were wrong. Like a lightning bolt, Nikolaidis moves to where Empress Yulya stands. In her arms, five-year-old Klavin looks in confusion.
Nikolaidis removes his sword from its hilt and says, "I'll make you feel what it's like to lose your wife and child."
Nikolaidis pierces the black sword on Empress Yulya's back. The sharp blade cuts through Yulya's body, striking both mother and son.
The Imperial Knights run towards Nikolaidis, swinging their swords at him but they were useless against Nikolaidis.
The Chief Sorceress arrives in the ballroom, a glowing green stone in hand. She throws the stone, shouting, "darkness be gone!"
The mana gem shatters and a light envelops the whole room. Nikolaidis disappears instantly but the damage has already been done. Empress Yulya and Crown Prince Klavin lay lifelessly on the ground. Their blood staining the marble floor red while Henrik could only watch helplessly as the Royal Physicians scramble into the room.
The mana gem transports Nikolaidis back to the Cursed Land but this doesn't faze him. The first step was finished. He only needed to kill Henrik's wife and son.
He knew that killing the heir to the throne and the Empress would destabilize the Imperial Family's position in the continent. The royal families under the rule of the Empire will see this as a weakness of the Emperor's power. Some might wage war and demand independence while others would plot to overthrow the Ludington Imperial Family. There will be chaos in the continent and it would be the end of the Ghesquire Empire.
Nikolaidis returns to the Dark Lord and bows, "thank you for lending me power, my lord."
"I guess the black mana I gave you was not enough," the Dark Lord spoke.
Nikolaidis looked up, facing the dark entity looming over a stone throne, "what do you mean, my lord?"
"The boy survived. You failed."
It took another 13 years for Nikolaidis to gain the approval of the Dark Lord once more.
Nikolaidis attacks the Imperial Palace, now with a different plan in mind. He found out that Crown Prince Klavin has grown up to become a weakling. Traumatized by what he experienced 13 years before. Raised by an absent father troubled with anxiety. Leaving him as the next Emperor of Ghesquire will cause its downfall. Nikolaidis just needs to speed up the Empire's demise by killing Henrik and making Klavin the Emperor.
Nikolaidis succeeds at the cost of his own life. He kills the father but dies at the hands of the son.
The villainous duke takes his last breath, a smile on his face. The first smile he's had after losing his beloved wife 16 years ago.
I've succeeded, my love. I've avenged you, Estelle...
Niko gasps jolting himself awake. He wakes up in a panic, his heartbeat and breathing irregularly fast.
What a nightmare! That was way too realistic and too long to be considered a dream...
He takes deep breaths and runs his hand through his hair, trying to shake off the fuzzy remants of his nightmare. Am I just nervous about proposing to Estelle?
He opens the bedside drawer and carefully takes out a small yellow box. He opens it, revealing the diamond ring he'll be giving to Estelle. I'm sure she'll say yes... She will, right?
~•~ ~•~ ~•••~ ~•~ ~•~
"Estelle," Nikolaidis says as he gently grabs her hand.
The two of them are seated on a bench in Quireghes Park after finishing dinner at a nearby restaurant. They agreed to come here to commemorate that special day five springtimes ago. The day when Estelle finally found Niko.
Estelle gulps. Uh oh... Niko never calls me by my name unless he's mad at me or he's telling me something serious!
He's been acting weird all night which is really bothering me. I know we haven't talked much nor seen each other for weeks now because we've been both busy with our own work but it doesn't mean that I don't miss him! I really wanted to make time for him but work got in the way... Is Niko going to break up with me?
"Do you remember that dream you keep having? The one where we dance in a ballroom like a prince and princess from a fairytale?"
"Um, yes. Why are you bringing that up now, Niko?"
"It makes you believe we were together in our past lives too, right?"
Does he think I'm childish for believing that? Is this going to be his excuse for breaking up with me?!
Estelle could only nod in reply. She was afraid her voice would crack if she spoke. Tears were already threatening to spill from her eyes. She can't handle breaking up with Niko. That would be death for her.
"Yesterday, I didn't believe in anything like that but, today, I woke up feeling the opposite..." Nikolaidis stops to take a deep breath.
That one second pause felt like an hour for Estelle. Her body was shaking, her fear creeping out of her. He's going to say it! Niko's really breaking up with me!
"I agree with you, Estelle. I think we really were lovers and we're destined to be together, always and forever. So," Nikolaidis kneels infront of her and opens a yellow box from his pocket, revealing a sparkling diamond ring, "will you marry me?"
The tears flood out of Estelle's eyes and she cries, burying her face in her hands. He's asking me to marry him! Niko wants to marry me! I'm an idiot for thinking he wants to break up!
"E-Estelle?" Niko's stammered, flustered by her reaction.
She removes her face from her hands and looks at him, eyes red and cheeks stained with tears, "yes, I'll marry you Niko! I love you..."
Niko sighs in relief and hugs her, "thank you, Estelle. Thank you for loving me in the past and in the present."
He pulls away a little to wipe the tears off her face with his handkerchief. She laughs, feeling embarrassed for crying so much.
"I love you," Niko whispers the words to Estelle like a promise. They kiss under the moonlight. A vow of eternal love.
The end.