Chapter 40
Rixion Luhanes listened to me with a relaxed smile. Encouraged by his attitude, I mustered my courage and spoke up confidently.
“Let’s make a blood contract right away!”
“…Pardon?”
Yes, this would be perfect—a win-win situation for both of us.
Rixion Luhanes could do whatever he pleased with me until he was satisfied, and I could get along sweetly with Rowin and Rin. At the same time, I wouldn’t have to worry about my head being severed thanks to the blood contract.
It would also be better not to get involved with Rowin and Rin until Jieunha shows up.
After all, the two children only appeared as a one-time catalyst for Jieunha to awaken her powers. Later on, there were just occasional mentions of the kids living well in the Luhanes household.
Other than that, they had no significant connection to Jieunha. From the moment the plague was cured, they wouldn’t be of any help in Jieunha’s awakening either.
So, keeping the children in the Luhanes household while I occasionally visited would likely have no major influence at this point.
“I like the idea of being friends with Your Grace, the Duke. But please, let me meet Rowin and Rin occasionally, even if only sometimes.”
Rixion Luhanes’ stern expression made me a little uneasy, but I felt my suggestion wasn’t bad, so I excitedly continued speaking.
“Let’s make a blood contract with this condition as the basis. What do you think?”
“Miss Christener, do you even know what you’re saying?”
Instead of an answer, I received a questioning, expressionless look. But forgetting my earlier caution, I smiled brightly and said:
“Yes, I said a blood contract. A pledge sealed with our blood. You can use that magic, right, Your Grace?”
When I asked as if there were no other possibility, Rixion Luhanes stared at me silently for a moment. Of course, I couldn’t quite read his expression at that moment.
“It is possible, but…”
Of course!
I gave him a look of respect for giving me the answer I wanted.
Of course. A man called the strongest mage in the world, the very fortress of the Kaiden Empire—there’s nothing he can’t do!
I couldn’t be happier thinking that this might free me from the anxiety of getting caught up in the love quarrels between the male and female leads.
I beamed widely, but Rixion Luhanes continued to stare at me with an expressionless face.
“Do you even know exactly how that magic works?”
Finally speaking, he asked that question. I confidently answered, “Yes!”
“We’re making a blood contract. By putting our blood on our palms and using the magic, a seal of the contract should be engraved on each other’s hearts, right?”
“That’s correct. Do you also know that anyone who breaks the contract will have their heart shattered and die?”
“Yes!”
I answered confidently to his consecutive questions. Rixion Luhanes seemed to be thinking, rolling his gaze to the side, then leaning back against the sofa.
It was then I realized that something about his reaction wasn’t quite right.
“I don’t want to use that magic.”
He said calmly, looking down, without a hint of a smile.
“I also don’t see any reason to put such dangerous magic on you.”
Huh? Caught off guard by his unexpected reply, I leaned forward, hands on the table.
“Excuse me? Why?”
“Moreover, with the conditions you mentioned earlier, there’s no need to go as far as a blood contract. If it’s about Rowin and Rin, I can let you meet them without resorting to such measures…”
“That’s not what I want to bind with a contract.”
As I listened to him sigh as if dealing with an immature child, I interrupted him. Seeing my expression calmer than before, he raised an eyebrow.
“Then what is it?”
Looking straight into his serious eyes, just as I had done before, I honestly stated my wish.
“Swear that, for whatever reason in the future, you will never harm me or take my life.”
“……?”
His reaction was exactly as expected. Rixion Luhanes looked utterly perplexed.
“Me, Miss Christener?”
He seemed unable to comprehend what he had just heard. He exhaled in disbelief, and I realized a moment too late that I had made a mistake.
Excited by the hope that my future anxieties could be resolved, I had blurted it out. Meeting his displeased, piercing blue eyes, a cold sweat ran down my back.
Who would enjoy being treated as a potential criminal? I couldn’t defend myself by saying I knew his future.
‘No, even if I explained, he’d probably still be upset. Maybe I should apologize first. But apologizing now feels weird too.’
Flustered, I didn’t know what to do. Avoiding his gaze, I nervously shifted my eyes.
At that, Rixion Luhanes’ expression briefly turned icy. He lowered his head, then roughly ruffled his hair with one hand.
His bangs fell over his eyes, hiding his expression.
He must be really angry… I felt like a foolish puppy who had provoked a tiger. Nervously, I swallowed hard.
A brief silence passed.
Should I explain first, or apologize first? As I pondered, Rixion Luhanes spoke again.
“In that case, I still think there’s no need for a blood contract.”
Unlike my fear that he might overturn the table in rage, he spoke calmly.
“Y-Yes… I… I apologize. I didn’t expect Your Grace to act this way. I misspoke for a moment…”
I felt genuinely sorry, flustered.
I thought he’d pity me and simply reply “It’s okay,” but I got no reaction at all. Fixing my gaze on the table, I peeked up anxiously. Rixion Luhanes was staring at his palm, seemingly deep in thought.
Why is he like that? I wondered, staring blankly, until he lifted his head and met my eyes again.
“Fine. Let’s do it. The contract.”
Unlike his previous stunned reaction, he suddenly accepted my proposal willingly.
Uh? Surprised by his sudden change, my face betrayed my astonishment.
I couldn’t understand why he would agree so easily, when I thought he might angrily storm off.
But Rixion Luhanes ignored me and suddenly carved a long cut into his palm with magic.
“Uh?”
I was so startled I jumped from the sofa—the cut was fairly deep.
Blood dripped from the long, sword-like incision.
“Uh, why… why are you doing that…?”
“To make a contract, the participants’ blood is essential.”
Flustered, I stammered, “I know that! It’s just… that was sudden, so it startled me.”
So startled, I accidentally muttered what I should have kept inside.
Rixion Luhanes chuckled softly at my reaction. Then he began drawing a magic circle on the table with his blood.
“I slightly modified the magic formula created by Teiera.”
“The magic formula created by the Grand Sage?”
I frowned, puzzled by his casual statement as he drew the circle.
He had altered a magic formula created by the Grand Sage? Even for a genius, this seemed reckless.
Even a child knew not to meddle with ordinary magic formulas carelessly. How much more so with one made by the Grand Sage.
I felt an urge to stop him, but his expression remained calm.
“Place your hand here.”
He pointed to the small magic circle drawn in his blood. Nervously, I gripped my hand tightly and stared at the circle.
“I should give my blood too, right?”
Having been the one to propose the contract, I couldn’t back out now.
I closed my eyes tightly and extended my hand, hoping he would inflict the mark with that mysterious magic earlier.
Instead, he took my hand with his uninjured one and placed it gently on the magic circle.
When I opened my eyes in surprise, he spoke as if it were the most natural thing.
“No, it’s not necessary. Only I am bound by the contract.”
Only he would be bound by the contract?
Before I could ask what that meant, a strong light burst from the magic circle under my hand.
