Contract Marriage with the Devil Duke (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 7
“Wow… this is unbelievable—your, your face.”
Orentia found it simply wondrous and astonishing to look at her husband’s face.
“My lady has shown me her sincerity.”
Her husband’s crimson eyes held only her—utterly devoid of any impurity.
It couldn’t be described merely as “pretty”; her heart felt so full it might burst at any moment.
If only it were truly possible for someone like him to be her husband.
Thinking this, Orentia promptly fainted.
[This is the timeline separator]After waking from that fleeting dream, everything became even clearer.
The vile Count Sokor. And the cunning Countess Kikozelia.
It was time to shed every last trace of attachment to them.
Returning to her room, Orentia fixed Bobby with blazing eyes and declared,
“Pack our things immediately! We must leave this wretched house.”
Bobby glanced out at the now-darkened window and shook her head.
“It’s too late, milady. It would be better to leave at dawn tomorrow.”
“Oh… You’re right.”
“What do you plan to do? Surely you didn’t actually obtain a special marriage license?”
“Doesn’t it sound absurd even to you?”
Orentia wandered aimlessly around the room before collapsing onto the bed. She felt utterly drained—as if all moisture had left her body, leaving both heart and flesh parched.
She knew full well that Sokor would do anything for his own gain, yet she’d failed to cut ties until now—that was her sin.
Orentia pushed her sorrow deep inside.
This wasn’t the time to wallow in sadness.
She would never, ever marry Marquis Luxus as the count and countess intended. If she must marry, it would be to the one she truly desired.
Firmly resolved, Orentia lay down on the bed and pulled the soft blanket over herself. She needed to fall asleep quickly and depart at dawn from the beloved Count Armenuaka estate.
The House of Apricot Tree—Armenuaka.
The grand and beautiful manor that had sheltered the Armenuaka family.
Only by leaving that place could she find a new path.
Orentia squeezed her damp eyes shut, trying hard to drift off to sleep.
Bobby watched her with pity, then turned off the lamp and left the room.
Now, Orentia was alone in the spacious chamber.
[This is the timeline separator]Early dawn.
Several carriages had been lined up in front of the mansion for Orentia—one fine carriage, and the rest all luggage carts.
Sokor must have known she’d leave the estate and prepared them in advance.
Orentia clenched her teeth in fury.
“He’s decided to mock me, hasn’t he?”
The carriages Sokor had arranged were surely his final, meager gesture of goodwill.
With the servants’ help, Orentia loaded onto the carts all the luggage the maids in the annex had packed before dawn. She intended to travel with only the bare essentials, so it wasn’t much.
Once the luggage was checked, Bobby said to Orentia,
“We’re mostly ready, milady.”
“Good. Let’s go quickly. I want to leave this place as soon as possible.”
Orentia loathed Sokor for making her feel this way. Though it was Kikozelia’s scheme, ultimately, he was the one who carried it out.
Moreover, the Armenuaka estate held so many cherished memories with her parents. Leaving like this was far from ideal.
Of course, to move forward, she had to accept this brief farewell.
Orentia grabbed Bobby’s hand as she headed toward the luggage cart and pulled her toward the fine carriage.
“Let’s just ride together. I’d feel lonely otherwise.”
It was unthinkable for a servant to share a noble’s carriage, but Orentia didn’t care about such distinctions right now.
Bobby reluctantly nodded.
“Understood, milady. I’ll always stay by your side.”
Those words brought her immeasurable comfort.
Just as Orentia was about to climb forcefully into the carriage—
Voices of the Head Butler and the few remaining old servants sounded from behind. Since Sokor became count, he’d nearly expelled all the long-serving staff and replaced them with new faces, so few of the original servants remained.
“Miss Orentia!”
“Are you really leaving, milady?”
Their voices were thick with sorrow—a feeling that resonated deep in her chest.
Orentia turned to look at them and said,
“I’m going. Farewell.”
“Milady… you’ll return, won’t you? You must come back.”
“You all know why I’m leaving, right?”
“Yes. But I’ll remain here at the estate.”
“That’s right. We’ll stay and wait for your return.”
Their vow to remain at the estate felt as though it were made solely for her sake.
Indeed, it would be comforting if the Head Butler and the staff stayed firmly behind.
Orentia, touched by their devotion, gave a nod.
Now was truly the time to leave the beloved manor.
“We’ll surely meet again. I’ll make sure of it.”
Climbing into the carriage, Orentia drew back the curtain and gazed briefly at the red-brick manor. There, blooming profusely, stood the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil—brought by her father from the holy land of Cassandra. As a child, she’d thought its fruit delicious and often eaten it with Sokor. Now, it tasted horribly bitter, and she couldn’t bring herself to eat it.
“Sokor must be watching over me from somewhere.”
She didn’t understand why memories of eating the fruit and of his kindness from childhood kept surfacing now.
“Orentia, even if you fall from your horse, I’ll surely catch you. Don’t worry.”
“But then you’d be badly hurt!”
“It’s fine if my body breaks, but not yours. Uncle would scold me!”
“Pfft! Isn’t it just because you care for me too much? Be honest! Hehe!”
How old had she been? Twelve, perhaps.
Young Orentia had known all of her cousin Sokor’s heart. He always teased her, yet his eyes held such gentle affection.
Just having come of age, Sokor—unusually tall for his age—had hugged tiny Orentia tightly and said,
“You caught me. But don’t get too cocky about it, squirt.”
“Tch!”
Little Orentia stuck out her tongue before refocusing on riding. Though many tutors could teach her horsemanship, she preferred learning from Sokor.
“…It’s not as distant a memory as all that.”
Orentia murmured bitterly, pulling the curtain shut. She felt only regret for the distance that now lay between her and the changed Sokor.
Even with her resolve to stand on her own, that feeling remained unchanged.
Orentia had already found a suitable house in Noctifer and prepared all new furnishings and necessities—only her light luggage needed to follow her.
The thought of truly living alone secretly made her heart flutter.
[This is the timeline separator]“She’s really gone.”
From his bedroom on the third floor of the manor, Sokor watched Orentia depart and chewed his lip restlessly. He honestly didn’t know why he kept doing that. He’d known she would leave the estate like this.
Watching her go felt like placing a child beside water. Perhaps he’d grown so accustomed to her presence in the annex that it now seemed natural.
“Have I grown soft at heart, of all things?”
That wouldn’t do at all.
Sokor had to pursue his and his wife’s interests more decisively than anyone else. The former count had gained fame as an archaeologist, and the former countess as a philanthropist—but their true renown stemmed from their scandal-free, harmonious marriage.
While nobles often stirred up major or minor love scandals, the two had proudly displayed their love without a single rumor.
Thus, Sokor also wished to maintain a good reputation within the Bonus Empire alongside Kikozelia.
Yet why was it proving so difficult?
Seeing Sokor’s serious expression, Kikozelia gently swept back her long hair.
“Rest a bit longer. Lack of sleep clouds your judgment.”
Her soft, caring voice.
Yet something about it grated on Sokor. It was odd—he’d permitted every action Kikozelia had taken.
Sokor deliberately ignored the rising discomfort and stood before the door, addressing her,
“I’m wide awake now. I must get to work.”
Kikozelia, who had been tidying her husband’s side of the bed, gave an awkward smile out of embarrassment.
“Oh, yes. May the gods’ blessings be with you today.”
Her blessing from the gods was meant exclusively for the count and countess.
Sokor, fully aware of that, merely nodded and stepped out of the stifling bedroom. When his heart felt unsettled, working quickly was best.
“Don’t wander too long, Orentia.”
After all, she had to marry Marquis Luxus.
Wandering aimlessly would only waste energy—that was precisely why he’d let her leave home for a while.
She was still within the palm of his hand.
Yet he sighed deeply and headed toward his study. For some reason, Sokor’s steps felt heavy and sluggish.
[This is the timeline separator]Gernium, capital of the Bonus Empire.
Gernium boasted important landmarks such as Greenpark and Gold Street—where central nobles resided—as well as the vast Silvertown, Owen Plaza, and the Bonus Grand Cathedral.
Most residents of Gernium belonged either to the nobility or the bourgeoisie, living lives of leisure and comfort.
Until recently, Orentia, heiress of the Armenuaka earldom, had belonged among them.
“The more I look at it, the better it seems.”
Orentia murmured to herself after waking that morning, gazing anew at her new home.
Several days ago, she’d secured a residence in Noctifer, on the western outskirts of Gernium—a place called the House of the Morning Star, as its roof shimmered golden in the sunset glow.
Being close to Gernium made it convenient for social events during the season, and its greatest advantage was the ancient city wall nearby, enabling triple-layered security.
Since hiring countless mercenaries to replicate the knight-garrisoned security of the Armenuaka estate was impossible, she’d taken every precaution she could in other ways.
My Arch-enemy Sealed My Memory and Said That He is My Husband
This is an incredibly captivating story that you absolutely shouldn’t miss! I’ll give a brief introduction here, and below you’ll find a detailed synopsis of the plot.
The female lead is a fierce and powerful demon king. The male lead is a once-in-a-millennium celestial lord, admired by the entire cultivation world.
They are equally matched, legendary rivals who have battled for centuries.
In the final duel, the female lead is gravely injured. The male lead saves her, seals her memories, and hides her true identity. He tells her that he is her fiancé. His entire life has been flawless—except for the one thing he never expected, never controlled, and never wanted to control: falling for his greatest enemy. She is his inner demon, his obsession.
When the female lead regains her memories, she is furious at his deception.
She makes his life a living hell.
And somehow, the male lead—possibly a total masochist—doesn’t mind at all. In fact, he’s happy she’s paying attention to him.
Yep, we’re back to my favorite trope: male lead suffering. If you love this kind of story, jump into the pit with me now!!!
Intro
Dong Xia lost her memory.
Her handsome and extremely powerful fiancé Li Qing comforted her: “It’s okay if you can’t remember. I’ll always be with you.”
Everyone thought Dong Xia’s ancestors must have burned incense to get such a perfect fiancé. He was the number one person in the immortal realm, yet he remained chaste and only loved her.
…
The day before marrying her fiancé, Dong Xia finally remembered everything.
She wasn’t suffering from memory loss at all.
Her arch-enemy had made her fake her death, destroyed her cultivation, replaced her memories, and pretended to be her deeply in love fiancé.
No wonder he said, “It’s okay if you can’t remember”!
Dong Xia laughed coldly as she pulled out her long knife: Li Qing, prepare to die 🙂
*
Li Qing, as the supreme being of the immortal realm, was the people’s shining beacon.
The only unknown stain in his life was his affection for Dong Xia, the ruler of the demon realm.
In the final battle of the war between immortals and demons, the sky collapsed and the earth shattered. The ruler of the demon realm was finally slain under the sword of the supreme being of the immortal realm, and everyone in the immortal realm applauded.
The cultivation world lost a ruler of the demon realm.
And in the back mountain of Li Qing’s cave dwelling, he secretly hid away a fiancée.
Notes:
1. The female lead is white on the outside, black on the inside, and the queen of flattery; the male lead repeatedly tests the edge of darkness, a VIP guest at the crematorium.
2. Fantasy cultivation world setting.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
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