Chapter 22………………………………………
“Have you arrived?”
Eldan recognized him and immediately rose from his seat.
The Duke of Northdian was leaning casually against the doorway; it was unclear how long he had been there.
“Did you hear everything?”
“I did.”
“……”
“It’s a common story. Not something you need to be ashamed of.”
It was unexpected. Wasn’t he a man who had everything except magic?
He seemed like someone who had never known hardship his entire life.
Someone who couldn’t possibly empathize.
And yet, the way he spoke—as if he understood exactly how I felt—made something in my chest stir strangely.
The Duke of Northdian sat down in the chair Eldan pulled out for him and asked,
“Do you want revenge on them? If you wish, I’ll help.”
“Revenge?”
At the unexpected offer, my eyes widened.
Repay them exactly what they did to me?
At first, it was an extremely tempting proposal—but I soon realized something.
“It’s okay.”
“Aren’t you angry? You must’ve suffered a lot.”
“I did. But…”
Over the past six years, nothing could ever compensate for what I’d been through. Those sticky, foul-smelling memories—like tar residue—had already settled deep in my heart and would never be erased for the rest of my life.
Was there even a way to shake something like that off?
“Even if they apologized, it wouldn’t be sincere. And if I took revenge, I’d just become the same as them.”
I lifted my head and looked at the duke.
“In the end, all that would remain is emptiness. Rather than being swallowed again by those awful memories, I’d rather spend that time finding ways to be happy.”
While planning revenge, I’d have to constantly recall memories of violence tied to them—reliving, raging, suffering.
Instead, it was better to spend that time doing things that made me happy: eating good food, looking at beautiful things. If I piled up enough of those memories, maybe one day those terrible ones would fade from view.
But the duke—the one who had asked—didn’t respond.
“Your Grace?”
“Ah.”
He seemed to snap back to himself at my call.
“What’s wrong? Did I say something strange?”
“No, not at all.”
He looked oddly distracted.
The Duke of Northdian stared at me for a moment, then nodded.
“Then let’s do it in a nonviolent way.”
“Huh? Revenge?”
“Revenge doesn’t always require bloodshed.”
Only then did the duke smile his characteristically crooked smile, clasping his hands together and resting them on his knee.
“You said you needed the late countess’s belongings, didn’t you?”
“Yes. Those are the things my mother left me.”
Is he planning to demand the keepsakes?
It certainly wasn’t violent, and it would get me what I needed. It was a bit mild to call revenge, but that didn’t matter.
But the duke’s generosity far exceeded my expectations.
“As compensation, how about adding the entirety of the Uveris family’s assets?”
“W–What?”
I answered reflexively, then froze as the meaning sank in.
“Th–Their entire fortune?”
The Uveris count’s family might have been lacking in magical blood, but financially they were quite powerful. My stepmother’s and Cosette’s spending habits were proof enough. I’d even heard they owned a silver mine on an island.
Just how much would that be?
It was a very tempting offer.
I needed a place to live once I left here in a year anyway. I didn’t want to return to that house—so why not liquidate the assets and settle somewhere scenic?
More than anything, if I had enough money, I might be able to fix my heart and become a mage. There might be elixirs known only to nobles or the wealthy.
“But… is that really possible?”
If it were, there was no way I’d refuse—but how could it be done?
The duke grinned and sent Eldan out of the room.
“Eldan, give us a moment.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
Soon, only the duke and I remained.
“There’s something I need to confess to you, Miss Elloa.”
“To me?”
“Northdian is currently investigating House Uveris.”
I was startled by the unexpected confession.
If the Duke of Northdian was investigating someone, the odds were overwhelming that they were mage criminals. And it wasn’t like he would chase petty offenders—so there was only one conclusion.
“…So the count has been involved in something dangerous.”
The duke immediately nodded at my guess.
I’d often thought it strange how excessively wealthy the family was compared to their magical ability. To think it was all earned through illegal means.
Then one realization struck me.
“Then… bringing me here too—was that…?”
Were they trying to extract information through interrogation or torture? Was the contract marriage just bait to bring me here willingly?
My heart pounded as I clutched the blanket tightly.
“I understand what you’re imagining, but no. Bringing you here was purely impulsive. It has nothing to do with this investigation.”
“…Do you suspect me?”
I looked at him, forcing down my anxiety.
Being arrested as an accomplice to Count Uveris before anyone even realized I knew the duke’s dangerous secret—that future was horrifying to imagine.
A moment later, the duke’s hand covered mine. Even through his white glove, it was firm—and warm.
“No.”
The answer was calm and unequivocal.
No? But… there’s no way I wouldn’t seem suspicious.
Wasn’t he the same man who had nearly swung a sword at me just for wearing a similar brown cloak?
Yet in his dark crimson eyes, there wasn’t even a trace of suspicion.
“It’s not you.”
“……”
He truly seemed to trust me.
Strangely, my racing heartbeat settled. From deep within my chest, where the chill had been, something warm quietly began to bloom.
Feeling a little shy, I avoided his gaze and asked,
“How can you be so sure? I could’ve been threatened.”
Embarrassed despite being happy he trusted me, I asked out of spite. He grinned.
“Hmm. If you’re determined to become a criminal, I won’t stop you. But since you’re not a mage, you’re not under my jurisdiction. If you’re curious about experiencing the empire’s underground prison, I could introduce you to an acquaintance in the Security Bureau—”
“No! That’s not it!”
When I recoiled in horror, he chuckled and shrugged. A joke.
Honestly, it seemed impossible to stay serious around this man. Still, his lighthearted response made his words feel more trustworthy.
“I understand the situation. If you need my help, let me know. I know a secret passage.”
His eyes widened at my words—then he burst out laughing.
“Hahaha!”
The room echoed with his laughter.
“Your Grace?”
Why was he laughing all of a sudden?
“You really are impossible to pin down. You seem cautious one moment, brave the next. You seem like you’re lying, then you’re overly honest.”
Still chuckling, he wiped the corner of his eye.
“I’ll take care of everything, so you just rest. Once this is over, you’ll inherit all of House Uveris’s assets.”
I was a little scared of what he might be planning, but knowing they’d pay for their crimes properly eased the knot in my heart.
I nodded quietly.
“For now, get some more rest. Your wounds have healed, but your stamina hasn’t fully returned yet, has it?”
The duke smiled at me—not a mocking smile, but one filled with goodwill. It seemed Eldan hadn’t been exaggerating when he said the duke was worried about me.
Then, a voice I’d heard half-asleep brushed past my ear.
“Does it hurt a lot?”
I froze.
“I’m sorry you were involved in such an unpleasant incident. I’ll assign guards from now on, so this will never happen again.”
“You won’t be hurt again.”
That low, gentle voice overlapped with the voice of the man standing before me.
No way…
Was the person who’d stroked my hair all night the duke?
My face burned at the unexpected realization. He’d heard all my sleep-talking too.
“Miss Elloa? Are you listening?”
When his gloved hand approached, I startled and reflexively leaned back.
Is he trying to pat my head again?
Absolutely not while fully awake. As I moved away, his hand stopped midair. I realized my mistake.
“Ah, um…”
That was bad. I’d outright rejected his touch.
If we were going to live as a contract couple, things like this would happen often. Such reflexive rejection was a problem.
I need to be more careful.
I glanced at him cautiously.
Did I upset him?
As I worried, the duke quietly withdrew his hand without a word.
Just as I was about to feel relieved, I noticed something subtle in his expression—like he thought he’d made a mistake.
But before I could be sure, his face returned to normal and he called my name.
“Miss Elloa.”
“Yes?”
“You weren’t listening.”
“No, I wasn’t.”
At my immediate reply, he blinked blankly, then covered his mouth. His shoulders shook as he stifled laughter.
Why does this man laugh every time I speak?
I had no idea the Duke of Northdian laughed this much. His smiling face was a bit scary, though.
“I was saying I’ll assign you guards.”
“Guards? For me?”
“You’re about to become the lady of House Northdian, so guards are only natural. Ah—and they’re all equipped with high-grade mana stones, so they can block most magical attacks. No need to worry.”
My mouth fell open at the explanation.
Even ordinary mana stones were incredibly expensive, yet he’d equipped all the knights with high-grade ones. To allow non-mages to counter mages using only mana stones—how refined must that craftsmanship have been?
The value was impossible to even estimate.
As expected of House Northdian…
The confidence of the owner of mana stone mines.
I could see once again why the Duke of Northdian could stand alone above all others, even while opposing mages.
And if there were that many…
“Then wouldn’t it be better if you just gave me one? That way I wouldn’t trouble the knights.”
“No.”
He refused instantly. I flinched, feeling like he’d seen through my plan to take one and run off in a year.
“It’s too dangerous for you to use directly.”
And with an angelic smile, he added that it was fine if some men lost a finger or two—leaving me utterly speechless.
