Chapter 1166: Strolling into the OrionHeart Palace
Chapter 1166: Strolling into the OrionHeart Palace
As Rudy strolled through the grand, gothic halls of the palace, the atmosphere was almost comical. The terrifying reputation of the Overlord’s arrival had already spread through the castle’s telepathic network.
Elite vampire guards, hardened veterans of countless blood-wars, practically pressed themselves flat against the stone walls, holding their breath and averting their eyes as Rudy walked past.
He was the apex predator, and their instincts screamed at them to stay perfectly still.
Rudy ignored them, his mind drifting to fond memories of a past life as he navigated the winding, luxurious corridors of the royal living quarters.
He eventually stopped in front of a massive set of heavy, silver-inlaid doors. He pushed them open and stepped into Jane’s royal bedchamber.
The room was exactly as he remembered it from the previous timeline. It was bathed in the soft, ethereal glow of the Blue Moon motifs, decorated with rich sapphire silks and gothic mahogany furniture. The faint, sweet scent of blue roses lingered in the air.
Rudy walked over to the massive canopy bed in the center of the room and ran his hand along the silk sheets.
A warm, nostalgic smirk crossed his face. This was the exact bed where he had completely broken through the haughty, arrogant exterior of the Blue Moon Princess.
He remembered the passionate, multi-round encounter that had finally shattered her royal pride, claiming her innocence and turning her into one of his most fiercely devoted wives.
"Still as neat and tidy as ever," Rudy murmured, stepping away from the bed.
He left Jane’s room and walked a few doors down to visit Rias’s bedchamber. The vibe here was different, softer, slightly more elegant, and filled with ancient books and magical trinkets that reflected her curious nature.
Rudy walked past her bookshelf, gently brushing his fingers against the spine of a leather-bound tome. Rias was the one who had started it all in this realm, the girl who had risked everything for a human.
The rooms felt terribly empty without the twin princesses bickering or lounging about.
Rudy sighed and stepped back out into the grand hallway, leaning against the stone archway. Since Jane and Rias were currently away on their trial, their rooms offered nothing but nostalgia. However, they weren’t the only ones he had history with in this palace.
He remembered the royal maids. Specifically, Niti.
Niti was Jane’s personal maid, the woman who had practically raised the Blue Moon Princess. In the previous timeline, Rudy had shared a deeply intimate relationship with her, bringing her into his harem alongside the princesses.
Rudy’s eyes narrowed slightly as a darker memory surfaced. In the past, Niti had been tormented and abused by Vesier, the traitorous royal nephew who secretly plotted with the Alucard Kingdom to orchestrate the Great Vampire War.
’If Jane is away, Niti is likely alone in the servant quarters,’ Rudy thought, the ambient temperature in the hallway dropping a few degrees as his Overlord aura flared with protective possessiveness. And Vesier is still breathing.
Rudy pushed himself off the stone wall and turned down a side corridor, his casual stroll instantly shifting into a predatory march.
It was time to check up on his favorite maid, and if that traitorous royal was anywhere near her, Rudy was going to skip the formalities and throw the bastard straight into a miniature sun.
Soap suds spilled over the edge of the wooden basin, splashing onto the cobblestone floor. Niti knelt beside the massive tub, scrubbing a ceramic plate until her knuckles turned white.
Clara, Elara, and Mina stood over her, laughing while they dumped another basket of grease-stained cookware into her work area. Clara nudged Niti’s shoulder with the toe of her boot.
"Keep scrubbing," Clara commanded. "Since you insist on serving Jane, you get to handle everyone else’s chores too."
Niti lowered her head further toward the murky water. She reached for a tarnished silver goblet, ignoring the splash of dirty water hitting her face. Suddenly, a shadow fell over the cramped washing area.
Rudy leaned against the stone archway with his arms crossed over his chest. He watched the scene unfold for a moment, observing the sheer volume of dishes piled around the kneeling woman.
"Drop the brush, Niti," Rudy instructed.
Clara and the others spun around, their eyes wide as they took in the intruder. Niti gasped, letting the silver goblet slip from her trembling fingers into the basin with a splash. She scrambled backward, hitting her back against a stack of wooden crates.
"Who are you?" Clara demanded. "You have no business being down here."
Rudy ignored Clara completely. He walked past the group, stepping over puddles of gray water, and crouched in front of Niti. She kept her eyes glued to the wet floor. Her breathing hitched, and she wrapped her arms around her own torso.
"You have to finish the work," Elara sneered from behind Rudy. "If she leaves now, Niti will suffer. We will make sure of it."
Rudy kept his focus entirely on Niti. "You hear that threat? If you do what they want, they will do worse than what they are doing right now. And if you don’t do what they want, they will still do worse than what they are doing right now."
Niti shook her head rapidly. "They will hurt her. They will isolate her even more. I have to stay and finish the chores."
"You are enabling them," Rudy replied. "You are taking their abuse because you think it shields the people you care about. Nonetheless, it only shows them they can step on you whenever they want."
Clara lunged forward, grabbing Niti’s shoulder to yank her back toward the basin. Fortunately, Rudy reacted instantly. He grasped Clara’s wrist, prying her fingers away from Niti’s uniform. He tossed Clara’s arm aside, stepping between Niti and her tormentors.
"I am speaking to Niti," Rudy stated.
He turned his back on the three women and extended his right hand toward Niti. She stared at his palm, her jaw trembling.
"Fighting them for you solves nothing," Rudy continued. "I could throw them through a wall right now, but you need to make the choice to stand up. Take my hand, leave the dishes in the water, and walk out of this room."
Niti looked at the mountain of dirty plates. She glanced at Clara’s scowling face. While her hands shook, she reached out and placed her fingers inside Rudy’s palm.
He gripped her hand firmly, pulling her up to her feet. Niti squared her shoulders, finally looking Clara directly in the eye.
"I am done with your dishes," Niti declared.
She turned around and walked out of the damp room, keeping her hand secured in Rudy’s grip.