Transmigrated as the Villainess Princess - Chapter 243

Chapter 243: A New Direction (7)

The sky over the Mors Dukedom had begun to shift into silver and bruised purple hues by the time Richmond arrived. His ship was black with golden emblems bearing the seal of a different royal crest.

Riezekiel had been overlooking reports from the northern borders when the notification pinged on his console. He didn’t move immediately. He just stared at the screen, lips pursed, eyes sharp.

Richmond’s arrival wasn’t unexpected, but the timing was… peculiar. After all, it had been months since his twin had last set foot in the ruined stronghold. Riezekiel stood slowly, letting the datapad fall to the table, then turned toward the doors just as they slid open with a soft hiss.

Richmond stood there, taller than before, cloaked in his deep maroon uniform lined with sigils of the Imperial Order. His hair was longer, pulled back, and his expression carried that distinct blend of frustration and concern. Without waiting for pleasantries, he walked in, boots echoing against the obsidian floor, and stopped right in front of Riezekiel.

“How did you manage to catch the attention of the first demon god’s assassin guards?” he asked, his tone low and direct.

Riezekiel blinked, then raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms. “You’ll have to be more specific.”

“Don’t play dumb,” Richmond snapped. “You’re on their death list. Do you even understand what that means?”

Riezekiel’s face darkened slightly. “I figured the assassin wasn’t just any mercenary. She wore the mark of the Shadowborn.”

“That’s not just a rogue faction anymore,” Richmond said, voice hard. “They’re under new command. And that command answers directly to one of the Demon God’s lieutenants. You’ve drawn their attention.”

Riezekiel turned away, walking to the wide window behind him. Beyond it, the scorched training yard glistened with blood still being washed off by the estate’s automated cleaning systems. He watched the water swirl, the red fading into the earth.

“I didn’t do anything to draw them. I’ve been rebuilding this place from its ashes. They came to me.”

“And that’s exactly what worries everyone,” Richmond said, approaching. “Mother said she felt something off in the spirit plane days ago. She thought it was about Sirius until your name surfaced in the Death Scribes’ registry.”

“So she sent you,” Riezekiel said flatly.

“She’s worried,” Richmond admitted. “I volunteered.”

Riezekiel stayed quiet for a moment, the air between them thick. Then, finally, he turned and faced his brother. “You saw the bodies?”

“I did,” Richmond replied. “Efficiently killed. Brutal, but clean.”

“Then you know I’m not afraid of them.”

“But you should be,” Richmond growled. “You’ve rebuilt this place with iron and solitude, but you’re just one man, Riezekiel. One man cannot face the first demon god’s elite guards and expect to survive another wave. They don’t send assassins as warnings, they send them to test how hard it’ll be to end you.”

Riezekiel walked past him, pouring water into a crystal glass. His hand trembled slightly, barely noticeable, but Richmond caught it.

“I didn’t ask for this fight,” Riezekiel said, voice softer now. “But I won’t run from it either. If I’m on their list, then so be it. Let them come.”

“You don’t understand,” Richmond said, stepping forward. “Being on that list isn’t just a death sentence for you. It means everyone tied to you, your soldiers, your staff, even your land, is now a target. That’s why our mother wanted to lock down your borders. That’s why I’m here. This isn’t about pride anymore, Zeke. It’s about survival.”

Riezekiel sighed and turned to face him. “What do you suggest, brother? Abandon this place again? Run to the stars like a fugitive? I’ve done that. I’ve lived in exile. I rebuilt my name from bones and dust. I won’t run again. Not now.”

Richmond’s jaw tightened. “Then let us help you. You don’t have to do this alone.” For a moment, silence passed between them like an unspoken truce.

The tension remained, but beneath it was something old and familiar, brotherhood, frayed but intact.

Riezekiel stepped closer, his voice lower. “I appreciate it. But this isn’t just about defense anymore. If the demon god’s forces are moving again, it means something greater is coming. I need to prepare this place. If war is inevitable, then the Mors Dukedom must be ready to become the front line.”

Richmond frowned, then turned to one of the consoles nearby and accessed the main defense system. “You’ve got good tech here. But it’s not enough. I’ll talk to the King. See if we can move some of the Celestial Defense Units to your borders. Maybe even a few Sentinels from the royal vault.”

Riezekiel narrowed his eyes. “That will provoke them.”

“It might,” Richmond said, shrugging. “But it might also buy you time. The Demon Gods don’t make reckless moves unless they’re confident. We just have to make them doubt for a little while longer.”

The brothers worked in silence for the next few hours, reviewing security systems, reinforcing the communication lines, and setting up detection runes in case of more infiltration attempts. When night fell, the estate lit up with a warm glow.

The staff served food, but neither of them touched it. Richmond eventually walked out to the courtyard while Riezekiel remained in the chamber of relics. He was about to return to the war room when he felt it again, that subtle shift in the air. That quiet warning in the spine.

He turned sharply and found Richmond standing by the door, looking somber. “What now?” Riezekiel asked.

“I told Mother I have arrived,” Richmond said. “She wants to see you. She thinks… You need to talk about some things here.”

Riezekiel’s expression flickered. Just for a second. Then it hardened again.

The following morning, Richmond departed, promising reinforcements within the week. Riezekiel watched his ship vanish into the sky before walking back into his command chamber. He stood before the table, looking over the map again, tracing the regions closest to the Demon God’s influence.

His thoughts drifted not to war this time, but to Ahcehera. The look in her eyes. The way she didn’t recognize him, or worse, how she chose not to. The Demon Gods were dangerous, yes, but the hollow ache in his chest told him that losing her… hurt worse.

But pain was something he had learned to master. To control. To convert into strength. If the world were setting its pieces on the board again, then Riezekiel Mors would be ready. He would protect the Dukedom.

He would stand against the forces that threatened them. And when the time came, if the world demanded it, he would step into the fire once more, willing, unshaken, and utterly consumed by the storm he had been born to weather.