Chapter 55
“…I like blondes.”
After a long silence, David suddenly spoke.
“What?”
“I just wanted to make it clear that the Duke isn’t my type.”
I smirked at his passive-aggressive tone, and he let out a small laugh before continuing.
“Apologies. As you said, I did, at one point, consider seducing you to escape this place. I thought if I dangled the Duchy of Apellemion in front of my father, he might be tempted.”
“…”
“Well, that plan fell apart the moment His Highness the Prince stepped out of the portal with you.”
He shot a glare at Carsiel as if blaming him, then turned back to me.
“You’re accepting my offer, then?”
“Yes… if you get me out of here.”
He looked at his father with a half-skeptical expression.
“I wasn’t lying when I said I didn’t think I’d lose if I sided with you.”
“You know, I’ve actually lost a lot. And not just small losses—humiliating ones.”
I replied with a soft smile.
“But I’ve also learned how to win.”
I slowly rose to my feet.
Now that the negotiation with David was over, it was time to speak to the Marquis.
He was still staring down Carsiel, his face filled with rage.
“You seem confident. To show hostility in the land of Adellon with no guards to protect you.”
“…Marquis, watch your words. People might think you’re planning to kill me. Surely, you wouldn’t make the Empire your enemy.”
Carsiel smiled slightly, seemingly unfazed by the Marquis’ open threat.
That only seemed to provoke the Marquis further.
“Hah! Who doesn’t know that if the First Prince were to die in an accident, Her Majesty the Empress would dance with joy?”
“Such dangerous remarks shouldn’t be made lightly.”
I cut in, and both men turned their heads toward me.
“No one has shown hostility toward you, Marquis, so let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”
The Marquis narrowed his eyes and looked at me.
“Is storming in and breaking down the door while I’m talking to my son not considered hostile?”
“I would like to propose a wager.”
At my direct words, the Marquis frowned.
“A wager?”
“I heard Adellon has always had a knack for betting. Didn’t you double your lands as a young man through three horse races?”
“Quite right. David’s little gambling with gold coins doesn’t even qualify as a proper wager.”
The Marquis straightened his posture proudly.
“I also heard that the first Marquis of Adellon gained his title from a bet with the Emperor.”
“That’s true. Adellon has a record of winning against the Emperor.”
“Then, shall we make history again?”
The Marquis’ eyes sharpened at my words.
“What do you mean?”
“Not a marquisate, but a duchy—and a land several times the size of Adellon.”
I declared.
“I challenge you to a wager for Apellemion.”
“What?”
The Marquis’ wary expression turned to shock.
Carsiel and David looked equally stunned.
All three stared at me, waiting for an explanation.
“It’s simple. If you win the wager, I’ll marry your third son and hand over everything of Apellemion to him. I’ll change the name to Adellon, and live the rest of my life obeying the Marquis.”
“Duke!”
“What nonsense is this?!”
Carsiel scowled and raised his voice.
David quickly stood up, trying to stop me.
“Nonsense. You think I’d believe such a ridiculous claim?”
The Marquis scoffed in disbelief. But a faint glint of greed flickered in his eyes.
“I’ve heard you’re no ordinary duke. So why propose a wager with no chance of winning for me?”
“Just hear me out and judge.”
I stepped forward.
“My proposal—and my reason for coming to Adellon—is the Black Valley. Near the Spirit Tree, there’s something I want to find.”
“Many have sought the Spirit Tree. Most vanish or return as corpses.”
“Yes. The path to the Spirit Tree constantly changes, and there are countless things nearby that shouldn’t be disturbed.”
“You want a guide.”
The Marquis sneered as if he had figured it all out.
“You want me to send a guide so you can retrieve your prize and win a wager against Adellon using Adellon’s own people? Do you even know how costly it is to raise one guide?”
“You misunderstand.”
I shook my head.
“I don’t need a guide. Just take me to the entrance of the valley.”
“…What?”
“There are two routes into the valley: the ‘Path of Light’ and the ‘Path of Darkness.’ The path of light is well known, so I want the entrance to the path of darkness.”
“The entrance… to the Path of Darkness?”
The Marquis frowned in disbelief.
“You do know what kind of path that is, don’t you?”
“To some extent.”
I hadn’t been there myself. In my previous life, someone else had beaten me to it.
But over the course of two lifetimes, I had studied the Black Valley and the Spirit Tree thoroughly. I’d read books, conducted experiments in places with similar magical flows, spoken to guides and travelers, asked countless questions.
That’s why I could confidently say—I knew more about the Path of Darkness and the Spirit Tree’s fruits than the Marquis did.
“The Path of Light shows too much. Nine out of ten people are lured into the wrong path, enchanted by illusions.”
I explained.
“Whereas the Path of Darkness shows nothing, trapping travelers in eternal darkness.”
“You seem to know quite a bit. The paths are ever-changing, and no signpost is permanent. There’s no confirmed shortcut to the Spirit Tree either.”
The Marquis looked at me with even more suspicion.
“If David and I say we’ll find a fruit of the Spirit Tree through the Path of Darkness and return within a day—will you accept the wager?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Impossible!”
David shouted before I even finished asking, and the Marquis shook his head fiercely.
“The Spirit Tree is at the valley’s center. Even the fastest guide takes ten days.”
“Then you’re sure to win.”
“…”
Our gazes locked for several seconds.
The Marquis stared at me, trying to read my intentions, but seemed to find nothing.
“How can I trust your words?”
He finally asked.
“What if you get what you want and pretend it never happened—?”
“We’ll put it in writing. I brought my seal.”
I tapped the ivory ring on my index finger.
It was the Apellemion family’s signet ring, recently recovered from Julius.
The greed in the Marquis’ eyes grew darker. His tongue darted around his lips like he was thirsty.
“Are you serious? The Adellon family shows no mercy to those who lose wagers. The Apellemion duchy, your mansion in the capital, your title—it will all become Adellon’s property.”
“Apellemion doesn’t show mercy either.”
I replied with a faint smile.
“If you’re really serious… name your conditions.”
The Marquis finally responded cautiously.
“Not that it will happen, but if you really return from the Black Valley within a day…”
Finally, he smirked coldly.
“I’ll give you whatever you want. Name it.”
“First, David must be freed.”
I spoke without hesitation.
“You can no longer make any demands of him. Whether he changes his name, gives up his title, or marries—he’s free. And you must undo any magic interfering with that.”
“And?”
“Second, you must open Adellon’s territory to His Highness Carsiel. The Marquisate cannot deny him entry.”
The Marquis frowned deeply at this unprecedented request.
In the current struggle between Balthazar and Carsiel, such a concession would be seen as the Adellon family openly supporting Carsiel.
“…Anything else?”
“Third, you must pass the Marquis title to your eldest son.”
“What?”
“Did you think a wager involving the entire Duchy of Apellemion wouldn’t come with serious stakes?”
I asked, still smiling.
“To gain something big, you have to risk something big.”
Here we go
You are about to lose your first wager 🤣🤣😎😎