He turned his head with a relaxed expression as if not particularly surprised.

Ollentia bit her lip, feeling anxious, and wished she could take off her mask. It would make her feel better.

For some reason, Ollentia couldn’t understand Dimidius’s expression.

“What’s that got to do with not being in the mood today?”

Ollentia’s question received a nonchalant response from Dimidius.

“I thought you were going to ask me to marry you today.”

“What? What are you talking about?”

“Odor Count asked me to inquire about noble men. What’s going on? He told me that you need to get married right away with a special marriage permit. You seem like you’re going to ask me to marry you, considering that you’re looking for someone to rival Duke Luxus.”

Ollentia suddenly felt a headache coming on. She thought her uncle had caused a major accident.

But something was strange. Ollentia couldn’t understand Dimidius’s statement.

“Why does that have anything to do with not being in the mood? Are you saying you don’t want to marry me?”

“…No.”

“But then, what’s wrong? I’m not suggesting we live together forever. It’s a contractual marriage. I’ll give you my sacred power, and after we get married, you help me find my inheritance. It’s just a business deal! It’s straightforward, isn’t it?”

However, Dimidius, to her surprise, remained silent. She hadn’t expected him to reject her so adamantly. Since she needed his sacred power, she had assumed he would agree unconditionally.

But that was a big mistake.

Ollentia froze up like ice in front of him, unable to believe that he had rejected her. It was heartbreaking.
Dimidius stood up and silently watched Ollentia, who was getting up from her seat. Unlike when she was ill, she had a healthy glow on her face, and her physical condition seemed fine. Dimidius was genuinely relieved because he had hoped for Ollentia’s recovery.

Rejected, Ollentia walked away with anger, seeming very rough, to the point where Dimidius thought she might fall.

However, Dimidius couldn’t hold her hand.

When Ollentia was sick, he had felt a terrifying and fearful emotion. Apart from the progress of demonization, it had been a long time since he had felt such emotions. And knowing the true nature of this unfamiliar emotion was even more uncomfortable.

“Why am I like this? What is this feeling I have for Lady Armeniaca?”

Confused, Dimidius always came to the Centimi River when he had time. He immersed himself in thoughts, pondering the memories he had shared with her.

But no matter how much he thought, he didn’t have the courage to love someone. Ollentia, like his mother Lilit, would inevitably leave his side someday.

So when he heard Odor Count’s story, he unintentionally avoided Ollentia, even when she woke up.

A contractual marriage.

It was agonizing to think that they had to get married, even if it was just a contractual relationship. He couldn’t be sure if it was the right thing to continue to be with her immediately.

Dimidius gazed endlessly at the Centimi River. Watching the sparkling river water in the sunlight seemed to calm his mind somewhat.

“How could this happen to me?”

Ollentia, who had returned to the count’s mansion, was visibly upset. She hadn’t expected Dimidius to reject her, so the shock was significant.

Uncle Odor Count approached the upset Ollentia.

“Niece! What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. It’s nothing at all.”

However, Ollentia’s face was frozen stiff.

Odor Count wore a puzzled expression. “But why are you angry? Don’t be like this. I’ve wanted to introduce someone to you for a while now. Meet him once. It’ll be fine.”

“Who is it?”

“Hermil Viscount! We talked about him before.”

Hermil Viscount was a landowner with a decent-sized territory near Odorley. It seemed like they had heard stories about Hermil being simple, peaceful, and beautiful.

Even though she had been rejected by Dimidius, she still had to meet someone her uncle introduced.

Ollentia hesitated for a moment and said to him, “What kind of person is he, Uncle?”

“Oh, just meet him! Contact him through the communication stone, and he should arrive by tomorrow.”

“Oh, why bother with a communication stone?”

“Is it because your wedding is in ten days? Do you want to enter with Duke Luxus?”

“Alright, I understand! I’ll meet him.”

Honestly, even if Viscount Hermil appealed to her, she was uncertain if she had the strength to face Duke Luxus.

But she felt like she should meet him.

“I was scolded severely by the Grand Duke, after all!”

Ollentia clenched her fist and shivered.