Closing the still-open door, he spoke. Adel, now regaining her composure, gently placed the book she had hugged down. The excited emerald eyes that sparkled settled down quickly. She spoke.

“I want to conclude the unfinished conversation from this morning. According to the terms of the contract we made yesterday, I’ve wagered ‘everything’ in return.”

“Right.”

“So when exactly is the price going to be paid? Is it at the moment the Duke’s wish is fulfilled, or is it after I die?”

“D-die?”

Valentine’s eyes narrowed immediately. Adel answered timidly.

“I mean, I’m asking whether only the flesh of this lifetime is the price, or if even my soul is part of the deal. If it includes my soul… shameless as it may be, can I live my life until I die?”

Valentine, who had widened his eyes as if finding her response amusing, burst into laughter. Although he was becoming more human with each passing minute, his laughter still sounded eerily inhuman.

“Adel. Your soul… tempting as it may be… if I could trade it for what I wanted… I would have done it sooner.”

“Uh, well, that’s…”

“Even if you call it the price of the contract, I can’t forcibly bind your soul.”

Adel, who was bewildered by the unexpected response, felt somewhat relieved. It was a feeling of hope that sprouted in a future that had been adorned with dreadful predictions. If his words were true, then what she had to bear as the ‘everything’ might end in this lifetime.

Rather than enduring endless pain, whether in hell or the abyss, after her death.

“Don’t, don’t be too relieved. Because I’m a bit… tricky.”

Valentine grumbled as he saw Adel regaining her vitality.

“Was a dragon… part of it?”

“Yes.”

Adel, as if she had completely forgotten about it, let out a short sigh.

“I have one more thing to tell you. It seems the Emperor will send an envoy soon. There will be a victory celebration ceremony in Nordhoven, and you must attend as the Supreme Commander. There’s one concern I have…”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“The Crown Prince seems to have joined hands with Duke Oscar. If that’s true, the Crown Prince must have called him intentionally. Even if you behave slightly improperly at this victory ceremony, he will immediately strip you of the right to succeed to the Crown. Claiming that your mind is not intact.”

“Why would he do that?”
Valentine tilted his head and asked with curiosity. His face showed no awareness of the seriousness of the current situation. After all, it was more absurd that the demonic entity known as the ‘shadow’ was imitating human behavior in every way.

Adel calmly added an explanation.

“If it really happens, it will be challenging to maintain the Duchy of Ansgar.”

“I see.”

“So, at least for the next ten days, you should practice etiquette and speech as much as possible.”

Adel looked at Valentine with a slight smile.

“It’s okay if your speech is somewhat ambiguous, but your etiquette is still awkward. Can you read the memories of the Duke?”

“S-some memories… but, some are hazy.”

“Right away, I can teach you some etiquette used to greet the Emperor. The problem is our budget.”

“Budget?”

“The nobles in the capital follow the latest fashion trends for their attire. It’s unlikely that His Excellency has had a decent banquet outfit as he has been on the battlefield. It will cost a lot to get new banquet attire and maintain the carriage.”

“Hmm.”

“Of course, you can attend as you are now. However, it would be better if you could manage to get a new banquet outfit. This way, the nobles won’t look down on Ansgar. Even if your etiquette is somewhat lacking, with the spoils we obtained this time, it seems manageable.”

Adel felt a strange sensation discussing money issues so comfortably with someone.

Until then, Ansgar Castle’s poverty had felt like it was entirely her fault. When she heard stories about the shortage of firewood in winter, or how they barely managed to obtain fabric, or how renovations to the old main tower were delayed due to lack of funds, she felt as if she had become a sinner.

This was because she knew that most of Ansgar’s household had been scraped together to marry the daughter of Raimond of Raigenau. However, ‘Valentine’ was her husband only in appearance; in reality, he was a demonic entity, not a human.

The preciousness of a being that accepted her as she was, without prejudice! The fact that someone was attentively listening to her words made her feel secure and amazed.

‘It’s fortunate that what’s ingrained in my husband’s body is like this.’

Adel, breathing a sigh of relief, was surprised by herself for considering him as a stroke of luck. In just half a day, it was astonishing how she had come to feel such warmth towards him.

‘Is it as he mentioned, the aftermath of the contract? Certainly, the atmosphere has changed compared to before. He used to feel like something in front of my eyes that wasn’t quite human. Now, he’s starting to feel more like a human…….’

Adel glanced briefly at Valentine’s neat face with anxious eyes.