~Chapter 83~
“Damien?”
I was speechless seeing Damien jump down so casually.
Unlike me, who froze, Damien walked over like nothing had happened and checked my condition.
“You worked hard. Let’s go home now.”
“Uh, but just now—how did you…?”
“I used to be a Benedict too. I memorized all the secret passages leading to the palace.”
Ah, so that’s why.
‘Still… that’s amazing.’
Either way, just seeing his face made me want to cry with relief.
After being alone with Leonie, I had been so tense.
“Your Highness.”
Damien called Leonie in a flat voice.
Leonie, as if he had expected this, answered without any surprise.
“If you’ve said everything you wanted, I’ll be taking my wife with me.”
Leonie stared at him silently, then nodded.
But the one who stopped Damien from leaving right away was me.
“W-wait a second!”
“Yes, Ruby?”
“You heard everything from that passageway, didn’t you?”
Damien stopped walking and looked down at me. Then, deciding there was no reason to lie, he nodded honestly.
“Yes. I heard most of it. Not from the very beginning, though.”
“Then… is what His Highness said about the Benedict Oath true?”
Damien’s eyes changed. His gentle violet gaze now carried caution and concern.
“…It’s true. If it’s broken, a Benedict loses their magic. The cost is enormous.”
“And is it also true that this oath can be made between you and His Highness?”
“It is.”
I quickly grabbed his sleeve and whispered softly so Leonie couldn’t hear.
“But Damien, you don’t use magic. Then… what happens if you break the oath?”
Damien didn’t answer right away. After thinking for a moment, he replied in a hushed voice.
“Nothing. Maledictus has no magic to lose.”
So my guess was right.
Maledictus, with royal blood, could enter the Benedict Oath.
But since he had no magic, there would be no penalty if he broke it.
That was why no Benedict had ever tried such an oath with Maledictus before.
In that sense, Leonie had made a very unusual proposal.
I wrapped my hands around Damien’s.
“Damien, then maybe—”
“No.”
Before I could even finish, Damien shook his head.
“I will never allow you to make a soul contract under an oath for my sake.”
I wanted to persuade him.
Even if we completed the soul contract, if the royal family forced Maledictus to absorb more curses beyond his limits, it would be meaningless.
But more than that—I wanted Damien to be free. Free from the suffering of constantly absorbing and enduring curses.
He had freed me from my cage at my parents’ house, where I once had to secretly hide my drawings.
“Damien, I already planned to complete the soul contract with you. You know that, right? That I want to.”
I had argued against Leonie before, but now I found myself using the same logic to convince Damien, because this offer meant Damien’s freedom.
“Even so, this is different. I won’t let you trade something with the royals for my sake.”
“Damien.”
I held his hands tightly with both of mine.
“What wife would ever want to watch her husband suffer?”
“….”
For the first time, Damien’s firm gaze wavered.
“I know you still suffer pain at night. That’s why sometimes… I visit your office late. Because I know.”
Damien’s lips parted slowly, and his face instantly showed guilt.
“…Ruby. I didn’t realize you noticed. I’m sorry for worrying you.”
“It’s alright. But still…”
I glanced at Leonie. He looked away, as if giving us space to talk more.
Turning back to Damien, I met his violet eyes directly.
“I just want you to sleep peacefully at night. Like everyone else.”
I squeezed his hand harder.
“No more worrying every day if the curse escapes, or grows stronger, or if you’re alright.”
His amethyst eyes shimmered faintly, reflecting my desperate face.
Finally, Damien sighed deeply and nodded.
“…Fine. I won’t oppose it.”
I couldn’t help but smile.
“Really? Then let’s first check if there are side effects or hidden risks before deciding fully.”
“No, that’s not needed.”
Damien waved his hand.
“I already know the effects of this oath. I’ve even seen it done. His Highness didn’t lie about any of it.”
“Is it that certain?”
“Yes. You can trust it.”
He patted my head reassuringly with his big hand.
“Then let’s just make the oath today.”
“…What?”
“That would be best for everyone. Right, Your Highness?”
Damien turned toward Leonie.
Leonie sighed, pressing his forehead with his hand.
“Enough. Drop the honorifics.”
Then he walked to the other side of the table to prepare something.
“I agree. Let’s begin the oath now.”
I was surprised. Was it okay to decide so quickly? Leonie had originally said we could take our time.
“Since the Duchess seems doubtful, let’s do it right in front of her.”
“Yes.”
“Your Highness…”
I called quietly. Leonie pulled out documents from a cabinet.
“Yes, what is it?”
“No matter what, shouldn’t the contract be more in our favor if you want us to agree?”
He raised an eyebrow, looking intrigued.
“If the soul contract is completed, I want you to write clearly: You will free Damien without any condition.”
“Oh?”
Leonie’s sharp gaze made me shrink a little, but I didn’t stop.
“Since Damien’s freedom is our goal, it only makes sense. We’re already willing to fulfill the contract anyway.”
Fortunately, Leonie didn’t take it as rude. He turned, grabbed more documents, and accepted my condition easily.
“Fine. I’ll add that.”
He said it would take fifteen minutes to prepare everything.
While waiting, I sat with Damien.
“Ruby, you didn’t touch any of the snacks.”
Damien noticed the untouched tea and sweets.
“Ah… I didn’t know what might be in them.”
Leonie didn’t seem the type to poison us, but still, I hadn’t trusted the food.
“It’s been hours since lunch. You must be hungry.”
Damien searched his pocket and pulled out a small piece of bread, neatly wrapped.
“I brought this just in case you got hungry on the way home. Eat a little.”
“Oh, thank you.”
I really was starving—it had been nearly seven hours without food. I needed energy to stay alert.
The bread was small, but warm and familiar. Likely made by Chef Martin.
‘Now that I’ve eaten, I feel stronger.’
“Damien, thank you. I feel better now.”
“It’s nothing.”
He smiled warmly, and I smiled back.
“Once the oath is done, let’s really go home.”
“Yes…”
But something was wrong.
Right after eating, I suddenly felt heavy, my eyelids drooping.
“It won’t take long. The process isn’t that… comp…li…cated…”
Damien’s gentle voice faded as I fought to keep my eyes open.
No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t stop them from closing.
‘What… is this?’
My head kept nodding, like I had swallowed sleeping pills.
“Ru…by? Sleepy? Then rest for a bit…”
And then my consciousness sank into darkness.
When Leonie returned, ready with the documents, he froze in shock.
The Duchess, who had been fine just moments ago, was asleep in Damien’s arms.
In Damien’s hand was something that looked suspiciously like medicine.
“Damien…” Leonie muttered in disbelief.
Damien smiled faintly, his expression somehow chilling.
“Let’s change the conditions of the oath.”
