Contract Marriage with the Devil Duke - Chapter 23

Olentia couldn’t believe it. In her prophetic dream, she and her husband looked so happy, making the current situation even more bewildering. She desperately wanted to run away.

However, it was surprising to see Dimidius’ breathing calming down. He seemed to be getting better little by little.

Olentia looked down at her hands again.

‘Did my holy power really ease the Grand Duke’s pain?’

For now, she had no choice but to think so.

The warmth in Dimidius’ hand seemed to be returning gradually. Although she could feel cold sweat, it was truly fortunate.

A moment later, Dimidius regained his senses and, taking her hand, pressed his lips to it. She felt his soft, plump lips.

Looking at the hand that had just been deeply kissed, Olentia’s heart suddenly skipped a beat. Her face felt hot, and her eyes kept wavering.

‘Why am I reacting like this?’

But she couldn’t just stay still with her heart pounding.

Olentia, a bit late, cried out in a shrill voice.

“What are you doing, now!”

Even though a hand kiss was a common gesture men made to women, it was still a display of affection.

But Dimidius had kissed her hand so casually.

Why? Was it also a method to alleviate pain?

She thought that must be the case.

Then Dimidius, adjusting his mask, spoke nonchalantly.

“The kiss on your hand was to thank you for sharing your holy power. That hand saved me. Of course, it also helps to ease the pain.”

Olentia looked curiously at Dimidius, whose breathing had returned to normal. He looked fine, unlike someone who had been about to collapse while clutching a tree.

Olentia slumped her shoulders with a despairing expression. She had thought that not all dreams could be prophetic, but if such a similar situation occurred, it was different. That dream could be prophetic and could actually happen.

‘Then what am I supposed to do? Marry the Grand Duke? Instead of Marquis Luxus, am I to marry Grand Duke Belial?’

Everything seemed to go dark. To marry now, when she had no feelings for Dimidius at all. Moreover, in the second dream with the masked man, they both seemed to have feelings. How did this happen?

Was the man she would come to love right in front of her?

Olentia, not wanting to believe it at all, rubbed the back of her hand where he had kissed vigorously. She wanted to erase the trace by any means.

After doing that for a while, Olentia suddenly turned her head to look at Dimidius.

“So, you need my holy power because of sudden pain or outbursts? Did your plans change because of me?”

Although she thought Dimidius had already explained everything, she asked again anyway.

He answered as he moved:

“That’s right. I need you.”

Olentia felt her heart sink, as if it was rolling around in mud. To think that he was targeting her. Her hair stood on end, and she felt only troubled.

‘But does it have to be me?’

She said to him with a face full of doubt:

“There are many others with holy power besides me. It doesn’t seem like it has to be me specifically.”

“Most of them are priests who follow the Pope.”

“So what?”

“The priests dislike me and even hate me, my lady.”

Olentia finally understood the true reason why Dimidius was targeting her. It was true that most people with holy power were priests. It was natural for them to dislike a red-eyed half-demon. Of course, Olentia didn’t like half-demons either, but since she had come on this outing, it seemed reasonable for Dimidius to have expectations.

“Ah… This can’t be happening.”

As Olentia walked aimlessly, the Centmy River came into view. The river, sparkling like diamonds in the sunlight, was incredibly beautiful.

The outing was over with this. Although she had seen the beautiful river, she couldn’t continue the outing any longer.

[This is the timeline separator]

“I was found out in the end.”

Dimidius said dejectedly, ruffling his hair as he returned to the count’s residence.

Of course, it was a small outburst, and fortunately Olentia was there, so it passed safely. His back didn’t writhe, nor did he let out harsh groans.

Still, he was truly concerned about what she might think.

“Haah…”

As he sighed, Killen cautiously approached.

“Did something happen today?”

Dimidius glanced at Killen and then crossed his arms tightly. Just thinking about the outburst made his body stiffen automatically.

“I had an outburst. It must have been today. I’d been on edge, not knowing when it would happen.”

Killen, without showing any pitying looks, replied as calmly as possible.

“But you look fine. Was it thanks to Lady Armeniaca?”

“That’s right. I held the lady’s hand. It felt like her holy power had become stronger than before. That’s why I was able to regain my senses immediately.”

When he held Olentia’s hand, he thought the degree of holy power felt stronger than what he had originally sensed. Whether Olentia knew this or not, he wasn’t sure.

Dimidius recalled Olentia’s consistently bewildered expression.

She didn’t pull her hand away, but her face looked like she wanted to remove it immediately.

‘It must have been frightening and horrible for her.’

Although he had described it to Olentia as pain, in reality, it was no different from asking her to endure a situation where he might become a complete demon.

So perhaps it was arrogant to hope that Olentia would stay with him.

What decision would Olentia make?

Dimidius closed his tired eyes, thinking he would have to wait for her decision.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Miss. Are you alright, Miss?”

Bobby, seeing Olentia frozen the entire time, asked with a worried expression. Bobby looked perplexed.

Olentia felt like her head was about to explode from having too much to think about. She grabbed her platinum blonde hair and said to Bobby:

“Bobby. Let’s say there’s someone who really needs you. Something terrible might happen if you’re not there! But what if you don’t really want to? What do you think you’d do?”

It’s not like Dimidius had immediately pleaded for her to be with him, but it seemed like she had witnessed a situation almost equivalent to a plea.

She had no intention of holding a wedding ceremony, nor of becoming someone who supplies holy power to Dimidius.

‘I don’t want any of it, so what am I supposed to do?’

But after thinking for a while, Bobby said to Olentia:

“If I didn’t want to, I think I’d first ask that person what they could offer me. If I like what I hear, I’d stay with them, and if not, I wouldn’t.”

Olentia clapped her hands without realizing it. It felt like she had heard something incredibly important.

Clap clap!

“That’s right. It’s not just about what I give, but what the other person can give me too. That’s how a contractual relationship is established!”

It was a point she hadn’t even considered. In the prophetic dream, she had only despaired because they were married, but if it’s a contractual relationship, that’s a different story.

Olentia hugged Bobby tightly and swallowed her saliva.

‘What Grand Duke Belial could offer me…’

She didn’t know why Kikozellia’s words suddenly came to mind. Kikozellia had spoken to her very confidently at that time.

‘Ask other people, Miss. Besides the Belial ducal family, what family in the Bonus Empire can compare to the Armeniaca county?’

The Belial Grand Duke would indeed be the most suitable replacement for Marquis Luxus as a marriage partner. Given the immense influence of the Belial ducal family, even Marquis Luxus, who would essentially be losing his bride, wouldn’t be able to say much, and Count Sokol would have no choice but to return the inheritance.

She was newly realizing just how great his position within the empire was.

However, Olentia had not yet given up on canceling the wedding ceremony.

So she had nothing to ask Dimidius.

[This is the timeline separator]

Finally, the day of her appointment with Ankedo arrived.

Olentia went to Moring’s room to hear various stories before taking a carriage to Ankedo’s private residence.

She had even made a contract with a mercenary to learn the location of the secret place. She had earnestly requested them to follow her secretly when she moved by carriage, but it was uncertain how things would turn out.

A moment later, she arrived at Ankedo’s private residence.

Taking a deep breath, she entered the brown wooden building, where two men approached Olentia.

“You’ll need to change to a different carriage, and from then on, your eyes must be covered.”

“Will that be alright with you?”

She had been prepared for all of this anyway.

As Olentia nodded, they guided her to a carriage behind the mansion. As she got into the carriage, a black cloth was placed over her eyes. It felt strange not being able to see, but she endured it.

To catch the culprit, save Moring, and be of help to Archbishop Werbu, she needed to become a bit bolder.

‘I’ll resolve this matter with my own strength and stop the marriage with Marquis Luxus. That’s the only way.’

Having firmly resolved, she felt the carriage move smoothly. It felt like floating in the air, and it seemed to drive for quite a long time in that state.

How much time had passed?

Just when the black cloth was becoming uncomfortable, the carriage came to a stop.

Screech!

Olentia, who almost lurched forward, grabbed her chest and swallowed her breath.

Had the mercenaries managed to follow well without being noticed?

It seemed fortunate that they hadn’t been discovered yet.

The men who had ridden in the carriage with her removed the black cloth covering her face. Only then did Olentia tidy her disheveled hair and blink her eyes.

“We’ve arrived. Let’s get out.”

Escorted by the man, she got out to see Ankedo with his ash-gray hair flowing, standing on a wide lawn. He had his hands neatly clasped and was smiling. Deep smile lines formed beside his mouth, and his cheekbones were raised.

He was clearly smiling brightly, but why did it feel so unsettling? Was it because she knew what kind of man he was?

Olentia swallowed dryly.

“I’m delighted that such an esteemed guest has come.”

Ankedo approached the slightly stiffened Olentia and greeted her. He looked as relaxed as usual. The only difference was that, unlike at the Odor Province church, he wore elaborate accessories.

Olentia nodded and followed him across the lawn. There was a circular domed building in front of the lawn. The sunlight made the building shine even whiter. It felt just like arriving at a temple.

Moreover, there was a golden tiger statue in front of the circular domed building, and Olentia felt as if she were entering a tiger’s den.

“I was quite surprised when you contacted me. Why do you need a magical item that changes gender?”

At Ankedo’s question, Olentia spoke in as natural a voice as possible.

“That’s a secret. You seem like someone who would keep a client’s secrets, but I have my privacy too.”

Ankedo nodded as if he understood.

“I see. Don’t worry, I’ve prepared a reliable magical item for you.”