Contract Marriage with the Devil Duke (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 6
“The champagne smells of tangerine. I like it.”
At Kikozelia’s words, Sokor nodded.
“A single sip must be worth at least two gold coins.”
Sokor’s father had been poorer compared to his late uncle, the former Count Armenuaka, so Sokor had developed the habit of calculating everything in monetary value.
This costs how much, and that costs how much.
His mind was filled with nothing but money.
“You still speak like a bourgeois.”
At his unchanged manner of speech, Kikozelia set down her champagne glass and spoke calmly, though the corner of her mouth twitched with irritation.
Sokor chuckled softly and looked at her.
“It’s because I like living a life where I can drink this every day.”
Kikozelia glanced around vaguely before opening her mouth.
“Well, I suppose that’s understandable. But that was the past—over a year ago now. You should get used to it.”
“Of course I should get used to it. Both my wife and I must live like royal nobles.”
“Yes. Naturally.”
“Speaking of which—Orentia. It seems she’s about to appoint a legal counsel soon.”
Sokor hadn’t forgotten Orentia’s resolute eyes. His cousin was clearly prepared to face a courtroom battle.
He had to prevent the scandal of their family’s internal discord from becoming public. If a legal dispute erupted, it would be nearly impossible to show his face proudly in the Bonus Empire.
At that moment, Kikozelia tightly gripped the napkin resting on her lap and said,
“Marquis Luxus will likely find a partner this spring.”
Sokor deliberately recalled the marquis’s positive qualities in response to Kikozelia’s remark.
“He’s shrewd and easy to talk to.”
Kikozelia smiled slyly.
“Yes. Marquis Luxus is a man of great greed. That’s precisely why he scours the world like hunting for lice, obsessing over new ventures. With the head of the house so frequently absent from home, he must crave stability—and that’s a wife’s role. Besides, marriage would grant him access to the lady’s enormous fortune. From his perspective, it’s a win-win. Of course, he won’t get all of it, but still.”
Kikozelia planned to arrange a political marriage for Orentia, who had inherited a vast estate. She had already informed Marquis Luxus that she would find a way to send Orentia to him and that they should split the fortune.
How much profit could be made by investing and growing Orentia’s inheritance? Kikozelia absolutely had no intention of giving up that money.
Naturally, Sokor felt the same.
Though he did feel somewhat uneasy at the thought of Orentia spending her life with Marquis Luxus, he generally agreed with his wife’s plan.
Sokor took a bite of the avocado tartare served as an appetizer and said,
“It’s truly fortunate that Marquis Luxus has fallen deeply for Orentia. After all, her appearance is rather presentable.”
Remembering Orentia’s fair cheeks and stunning platinum hair, Sokor smiled lightly, his small eyes narrowing as his cheeks lifted.
At the mention of looks, Kikozelia pouted slightly.
“There are so many beautiful noblewomen in the Bonus Empire. Lady Orentia simply got lucky to catch Marquis Luxus’s eye. After all, excluding the grand ducal houses, the Luxus family is the only one comparable to Armenuaka. It’s a good match for her.”
Though she knew Marquis Luxus was a notorious playboy, Kikozelia said it anyway.
Count Sokor tilted his head slightly in puzzlement.
“In terms of status, that’s true—but his reputation isn’t exactly good. I should have a serious talk with him sometime.”
“Is that really necessary? Is it truly essential to bring him into our family before the wedding…?”
“What’s the problem with that?”
“The problem? The problem is the lady herself. Her childish behavior and constant sarcastic tone—she’s the sort who’d make me want to crush her underfoot if she were a servant. Just imagine if she ever offends Marquis Luxus.”
“My lady, even if we’re alone, please watch your words. She’s not a child deserving of such treatment.”
Sokor’s voice was quite firm.
Kikozelia hesitated for a moment, then quickly donned her usual charming mask again.
“I momentarily failed to act like a proper countess. I’ll be more careful.”
“I certainly hope so.”
“In any case, I hope Archbishop Verbu grants the special marriage permit before Orentia appoints her legal counsel. Time is of the essence.”
Kikozelia’s heart thrilled at the thought of ruthlessly using Orentia.
[This is the timeline separator]Sokor stood in the Long Gallery of the Armenuaka Count’s estate. The narrow, elongated corridor displayed the family’s exquisite artworks and sculptures.
Magnificent paintings and statues depicted the sacred powers wielded by ancestors across generations. Many showed figures holding sunlight or creating luminous white orbs.
“Armenuaka” meant apricot tree in Latin, and in the Bonus Empire, the apricot tree was famed for its ability to ward off spirits. Thus, the Armenuaka family had long produced many individuals born with sacred powers—though those abilities had completely vanished about a century ago.
Yet their ancestors’ deeds remained vividly preserved through art, decoration, and architecture. Even the Bonus Cathedral housed paintings illustrating their feats—though Orentia herself had never truly felt their significance.
Orentia approached Sokor, who seemed lost in contemplation before the artworks—or perhaps reflecting on his ancestors’ legacy.
“The special marriage permit—did you apply for it yourself, Oppa?”
Her question was brief; her heart, earnest.
Such was Orentia’s current state of mind.
Sokor slowly turned to face her, releasing the hands clasped behind his back. Unconsciously, Orentia hid her right wrist, adorned with a bracelet, behind her back. For some reason, she felt it shouldn’t be seen by Sokor here, in this moment.
Sokor noticed and fixed his gaze intently on her hidden arm, letting out a soft chuckle.
“Why hide it, Pieta? Are you afraid I’ll take it?”
Orentia replied calmly.
“You haven’t even returned my inheritance. This bracelet, given to me by Father—there’s no guarantee you won’t take Pieta too.”
Pieta was a sacred bracelet gifted by her late father when she was young. He had discovered it during his great quest to unearth the divine land of Cassandra.
Perhaps that’s why the Pieta bracelet allowed communication with the Heavenly God.
Made of white opals shimmering in myriad hues, the bracelet was accented with several turquoise larimar stones featuring a delicate net-like pattern, exuding quiet elegance.
Orentia had never imagined she’d be able to commune with the divine through this bracelet.
But when she turned twelve, she nearly tumbled down a staircase—only to be saved by the bracelet’s power, accompanied by a divine whisper:
[Be careful, Maleng.]Chaos erupted in the household that day. Only Orentia, who had inadvertently become its contractor by using its power, could wield the bracelet’s abilities. Her father had done everything to keep the matter secret, and fortunately, the truth hadn’t leaked out—largely because the divine voice almost never spoke to her since.
Still, Orentia treasured the Pieta bracelet as dearly as her own life and never removed it. In a way, it was her father’s greatest legacy.
Taking a step back with determined eyes to protect her bracelet, Orentia prompted Sokor to move closer.
“What’s wrong? Afraid the contract might transfer to someone else someday? To me, perhaps? I’d certainly be more useful than you.”
“Don’t belittle me. This bracelet cost Father his life to find—it’s mine. As for the contract changing hands… I doubt that’ll ever happen.”
“It might. But the former count is dead.”
‘Your uncle is no longer by your side. You’re alone now.’
Sokor had clearly said those words when Count Armenuaka died.
It hadn’t even been five years since her parents passed away.
Yet hearing Sokor speak so bluntly of death brought hot tears to Orentia’s eyes.
She had no desire to cry at all.
But when one’s insides are rotting, how can one not expel the poison?
Through blurred vision, Orentia spoke straight to Sokor.
“I won’t ask you anything more about the special marriage permit.”
“…”
“You’ve become utterly repulsive.”
Orentia turned and walked straight out of the Long Gallery.
[This is the timeline separator]She had a dream.
The appearance of her husband wearing a bauta mask confirmed it was just a dream.
Though aware it wasn’t real, Orentia buried herself in his embrace. In dreams, there was no scent—only a comforting warmth.
Why does this feel so good? Why so peaceful, so happy?
Even though her dream-husband never revealed his face. He always appeared masked in her dreams and never removed it himself.
The first time the mask came off in a dream, it was Orentia who removed it.
Yet in this dream, her masked husband gently stroked her hair and asked,
“Were you satisfied?”
“W-What? Satisfied with what…?”
She was bewildered—until she realized she was completely naked. The fact that she’d only just noticed struck her as astonishing.
Flustered, Orentia quickly covered her radiant bare body with the blanket. Seeing her embarrassment, her husband removed his mask himself. As his pale, long fingers lifted the mask away, she felt as if witnessing the most beautiful theater in the world.
She was utterly captivated by his face—unseen for so long.
It was a visage so wondrous it felt like beholding a god—his straight, refined eyebrows flowing seamlessly into a softly arched nose.
But above all, his crimson eyes—like a fusion of sun, rose, and ruby—etched themselves vividly into her mind.
At that moment, a voice sweet enough to melt her eardrums whispered,
“I shall remove my mask in the bedroom, my lady.”
When yandere male lead believes she loves him — but she never did
“How dare you!”
“How dare you make me love you, only to cast me aside as nothing more than a friend?!?
“I will never accept that.”
“I will never let you return to him.”
“Even if I have to burn myself to ashes.”
“Even if I must shatter my purity, my dignity, my very soul.”
“I will never let you escape me!”
This was the first novel that introduced me to the matriarchal genre. I’ve read it three times already!
At first, the male lead despised the female lead. Later, he misunderstood that she liked him, so he condescendingly and reluctantly reciprocated her feelings.
Then, he suddenly discovered that she was kind to everyone in the same way, and there was already someone she cherished in her heart, and that person was not him.
The male lead couldn’t believe it, he became angry and crazy. He was determined to capture her body and heart by any means necessary.
Synopsis:
Want to see how a green tea bitch male lead falls in love with the female lead?
Want to see how he flirtatiously pursues the female lead?
Want to see how he gets slapped in the face repeatedly?
The male lead is a green tea bitch, a poisonous lotus, jealous, ruthless, unscrupulous, with a venomous heart, and he’s also a delusional maniac.
The female lead is righteous, positive energy-filled, kind, a holy mother.
Let’s see how two people with extreme personalities come together~
_____
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