The Granduke Evil
Chapter 17

" I just need two to five drops of your blood stupid, you're dripping too much." The dragon said annoyedly.

" will it affect you?." Ask Ethan, just relax.

" No, but it'll have a bad impact on your body later." Reply to the dragon.

" I don't care." Ethan said briefly.

All eyes were immediately on Ethan, even the troops who were coming with him at that moment were also shocked to see what was before their eyes. The Emperor who saw it was astonished how Ethan could carry and tame the Dragon.

" This child, how could he tame the monster leader until it could get that close. I know he's pretty good on the battlefield I didn't think anything like this could be handled." The Emperor's grunts while watching Ethan. The emperor got up from his seat and walked over to Ethan.

" Ethan, are you sure the Dragon is harmless?" Ask the emperor at the time.

" I'm sure he won't be dangerous at all." Reply Ethan.

" How can you be so sure? though I will tell you to kill him and bring his heart before me but unexpectedly you even bring it. " The emperor said as he asked Ethan.

" I'm sorry before your majesty if I'm presumptuous to do this." Ethan tries to explain but the emperor interrupts his words first.

" Okay, come to my room later. I want to hear clearly what you've been through in the south." The emperor at that time.

" Okay, thank you." Reply to Ethan politely.

" You can send him back if you want Ethan, because I've seen the results of your hard work in the south." Said the emperor, Then turned to walk away from Ethan from that place. " Well you can continue this party, have fun. Because ruler Dawson successfully completed the mission and returned safely." Said the emperor who stood in the middle of the nobility. Ethan lowered his head and thanked the emperor for his appreciation.

" You want to give me back now, son of man?" Ask the Dragon.

" Yes, thank you for helping me." Ethan.

" Okay then." Reply to the dragon, Then it disappeared slowly along with a bright shining light. After the dragon left a thunderous clap filled the place, appreciating Ethan's hard work. Ethan just smiles while looking around, and then the party goes as it should. Ethan again approached his mother who was in the middle of the nobility.

"Mom, do you still want to be here?" Ethan asked who was dealing with his mother at the time.

" You're going home, son?" The duchess asked.

" well what else will linger here mother, anyway we will go home to the mansion because I will fulfill the call of the emperor later." Reply Ethan.

" You don't want to say hello first, he's been watching you." Said the Duchess while looking at Grace. " Get him Ethan, say hello and talk to him." Talk softly to Ethan.

" Well, you don't go anywhere either. I'm going to see Count and Grace." Ethan then walked over to Count Etienne and Grace.

" Greetings to the imperial sword of Verhant." Count and Grace said at the same time.

" Thank you for your greetings, sir." Reply Ethan. " How are you, Grace." Ethan's greeting is a little awkward.

" My good news is that your Highness the young Granduke Dawson." Grace's reply ended with a smile.

" How are you doing, Ethan ? Didn't you want to tell me all about what happened in the south yesterday?" Ask Count Etienne.

Ethan just chuckled, "Haha, Staying Lah at Dawson's mansion tonight sir with Grace, I'll explain everything later." Ethan said with a smile.

" All right, I'll accept your invitation, Ethan. Then I'll drop Grace off because I have to meet someone." The Count immediately left after speaking.

Ethan and Grace looked at each other without speaking, because they had not seen each other for a long time they felt awkward when talking.

" Well then lady Grace Ilona xavier, will you accompany me at this party." Ethan said as he offered his palm.

" It is with great pleasure." Grace said with her noble etiquette and accepted Ethan's helping hand.

Because there were too many people in that place, so no one noticed the two of them. Ethan doesn't like the crowds so they break away and walk to the back garden of the palace.

" How are you doing, Grace?" Ethan asked who started the conversation.

" my news is good Ethan, how about you?"

" My good news is Grace, you're always beautiful as always. " Say Ethan.

" Thank you, you always say that when you're with me." Grace said with a smile on her face, as she turned around, Grace clasped one of Ethan's hands and walked backwards, swinging Ethan's hand. " Ethan, do you know. I think you'll forget me when you get back to the North, plus you the last time I met looked so cold like you weren't the one I used to be with." Grace continued.

" really? How could I be like that, sorry next time I won't be like that. " Reply Ethan.

" hmm.no papa, I understand your position and I'm very grateful you can return safely. " Say Grace is still in the same position.

" Funny thing is, I feel so happy to see this girl in front of my eyes again." Ethan's gang who noticed Grace kept rambling in front of him. " hey watch your way, you fall down Grace." Ethan said while chuckling.

" You'll catch me if it falls." Grace said to Ethan.

" Really?" Ethan said as he pulled Grace into his arms, "Based on this one girl, you still have to watch your way Grace." Pinched the girl's nose and then hugged her. " I also miss you Grace, thank you for everything" she continued, hugging the girl tightly. Grace replies to Ethan's warm embrace "Thank you for coming back safely, Ethan."

...***...

Then they went back to the courtyard where the party was held, they walked hand in hand towards the place, some eyes also kept on watching them but neither Ethan nor Grace cared about their gazes or speech.

" Oh yeah Ethan, I want to show you something." Grace whispered right in Ethan's ear.

" wow, what is that?" Ethan asked with a curious face.

" All right."

The Duchess, who saw her son walking hand in hand with Grace, was delighted to see Ethan close to someone. The Duchess approached the two of them.

" Hey Grace." Sapa Duchess's.

" Greetings to Grand Duchess Dawson." Reply Grace while lowering her head.

" well, you're so beautiful today, Grace."

" Thank you madam, you look beautiful today too." Reply Grace as usual which ends with a smile.

" Then Grace, I'll return to the mansion first because I have to prepare a room for you and the Count." Ethan.

" Okay, be careful I'll catch up with uncle later." Reply Grace gently.

Ethan replied to Grace with a faint smile and lowered his head. He again clasped his mother's hand and went to see the emperor to say goodbye. After a series of formalities are done, Ethan immediately rushed back to the mansion for a break and also prepared a room for the count and Grace who will visit.

finished preparing the room and cleaning himself, Ethan went straight to his study in the mansion. While checking the documents Alex had put on his desk. Alex, carrying Count Wilberg from the south, had just reached the mansion about five hours ago, and locked Count Wilberg in the mansion's dungeon before taking him to the palace. Ethan was pensive for a long time thinking about all the things that happened to him in this world is not at all the same as in the novel, maybe the plot is the same but the events he experienced are almost never told. " Why yes, everything I experienced was never written in the novel. Is it because I'm an antagonist so there's not much to tell about Ethan, and only the bad side is told." Think Ethan at that time. While being swept away in the mind, suddenly someone knocked on the door, "tok tok." The sound of the door from outside.

" Get in." Ethan said from the inside.

Upon seeing the person who entered his room was Count Etienne, Ethan was immediately shocked. " Loh sir, it's coming."

" Yes, I rushed here immediately after meeting the emperor and Marques Xavier." Say the count while sitting on the sofa yah g is in the room.

Ethan moved out of his seat and moved to where the count was sitting. " Isn't Marques Xavier the brother of the master? That's what you're talking about." Ask Ethan.

" It's nothing, I just report to the emperor, then talk about a feast of maturity for Grace." Reply Count.

" really? when will it be done?" Ethan asked enthusiastically.

" It's not important, it's still two years away."

" Why is it so long?" Ask Ethan.

" the ceremony and the feast of Grace's maturity will be held at the age of seventeen, while Grace is only fifteen years old. Both her parents wanted Grace to perform a maturation ceremony at their residence. But Grace refused." The Count explained to Ethan.

" Maybe Marques and Marchioness Xavier were her parents, but the master was always there for her. Maybe Grace would rather celebrate at Etienne castle because she's found a house where she needs to go." Ethan.

" I don't know, I always leave the decision to the kid if it concerns him." Reply Count while sighing. " Then how can you summon the Dragon Ethan ? I know you're strong your magical power is also great you can control the mana in your body well. But what you risked to summon the Dragon, that creature will not easily appear to show itself because he is a powerful being who guards also become the leader of the Monster in the south." The count asked.

" I did a contract with the Dragon sir." Reply Ethan.

" contract!" The Count was surprised to hear Ethan's reply. " What contract did you do?" Welcome asks.

" The contract that guarantees my life is also the Dragon's life." Ethan said with a flat expression. The Count was immediately shocked to hear that answer, he squeezed Ethan's shoulder. " Why should the life you're betting on Ethan." Said the count in a slightly raucous voice because the count himself did not know what to do to protect the eighteen-year-old teenager who he had considered like his own son, he said, he lowered his head while talking to Ethan.

" Be calm Count, I'm not papa. I also thought hundreds of times about making that decision in the midst of my life-threatening condition, I don't think it's a bad decision because I can harness that dragon's power when I need to, and that dragon also saved me from falling from the abyss." Ethan said trying to calm the Count down while explaining everything.

" So you fell into the abyss when you were attacked by a group of hit men?" Ask the count who is looking at Ethan.

" yes, I thought I was dead by then, but. The dragon saved me. Beyond a doubt he also offered me things that I might be able to accomplish, but I rejected him." Reply Ethan with a faint smile.

" What does he offer?"

" He said if I wanted to be emperor, he would help me. I refused because it was a troublesome thing. Maybe right now I won't take advantage of it too much, but someday if I need it I'll use the Dragon's power." Ethan Obviously.

" Well I understand now, then what are the consequences of your life being guaranteed?"

" If one of us breaks that contract, it's gonna die." Ethan replied seriously.

" then Ethan promises me to stay, I'll always be behind to protect you whatever it is. I'll take care of the guy who sent the hit man." Say count firmly and confidently.

" Well thank you sir for helping me so far, I'll leave Duke Ainsley's affairs to you." Ethan.

" All right leave it to me, I'll take care of it."

" Because it's a night of rest, sir, it's almost midnight. I'm also going to take a break, I was going to see Grace but it looks like that kid is sleeping too so I'll see her tomorrow." Ethan said, getting off the couch.

On the tail of the Count who took the couch and they came out of the room at the same time. While walking along the hallway the count looked at Ethan who was beside him for quite a long time. " How can I protect you, Ethan, when you alone always put yourself in danger.You almost sacrificed your life for the empire, who doesn't even know your pain and what you're going through out there." Count's guman while looking at Ethan. Ethan immediately turned to the Count, "There's a Master, why see me like that?" Ask Ethan.

" It's nothing."

" Featuredly rest, sir. I want to see Alex first before I go to bed because I have something to check on." Ethan said, then walked away from the Count.

...****...

In the Dawson mansion's dungeon, Ethan descends the stairs slowly and meets Alex who is already waiting for him under the stairs. " How's Alex ?"

" I've brought him he's right over there." While showing the way to Ethan.

Ethan goes into a dim room, indeed the place is commonly used to lock up people who make mistakes. He saw Count Wilberg tied up in a chair with an eye patch. "Who is it!!" Count Wilberg shouted when he heard the sound of footsteps. Ethan was silent and silent, and walked out of the room. " Take him to the palace tomorrow, because I will also meet the emperor tomorrow. I'll finish it all tomorrow." Ethan said firmly and then left the place.