Bellia almost closed her eyes unconsciously at the gaze full of intense longing.

Then, startled by her own reaction, she hurriedly swallowed all her emotions.

“Bellia.”

She didn’t know why her name called by him felt so suffocatingly heavy.

Long ago, when Raul called Bellia, it was just dreamily sweet.

But when Callid called Bellia’s name, it was so frightening that she unknowingly stepped back, feeling a tingling sensation on her back. She couldn’t clearly judge what the fear was about.

Thinking this couldn’t go on, Bellia instinctively turned her face away to escape Callid’s touch.

“Bellia.”

Why does he keep calling like this?

Her whole body shuddered.

“Look at me.”

Callid turned Bellia’s face, which was avoiding him, towards himself.

“Don’t look away.”

She couldn’t meet his eyes.

“…”

“Is it burdensome to know that I have feelings for you?”

Bellia kept her mouth tightly shut.

“Because you kept pushing me away, I tried to approach slowly. But you keep running away without even facing me properly.”

Somehow, she felt like crying.

Why does this man make her so troubled?

There shouldn’t be any sincere emotions in their relationship.

“What are you afraid of?”

Callid instantly digs up the feelings Bellia had hidden deep inside.

At that fact, Bellia had no choice but to face him, feeling as if she had been stripped naked.

Just how much had he noticed?

“You may want to run away and look away, but I no longer have any intention of letting you go.”

“…What if I don’t want that?”

To Bellia’s question that she barely managed to ask, Callid put on an extremely languid and relaxed expression.

It was like the posture of a predator with its prey right before its eyes.

At that, Bellia gritted her teeth.

“Then you’re free to refuse. You can run away like now.”

His voice was gentle.

Anyway, for Callid, that wasn’t a big problem.

“Because I’ve decided to do my best to hold onto you.”

So, shall we think of this as an interesting game of hide-and-seek?

Callid whispered in Bellia’s ear in a subtle tone, as if coaxing a child.

“Callid.”

“Yes. You can keep calling me like that.”

Bellia sighed. She had to stop him.

This is just interest turning into possessiveness.

It’s not his sincere love.

‘So don’t be mistaken.’

She was now disgusted at being swayed by emotions for someone.

To be shaken again after being treated like that by Raul. It was pathetic.

Bellia snapped to her senses as if doused with cold water.

“Take your hands off me.”

At Bellia’s cold words, Callid’s hand that had been caressing her cheek cleanly fell away.

As soon as he moved away a little, the atmosphere changed.

Even the air that had felt crushingly heavy became much lighter.

“Haa.”

Bellia let out a big sigh.

She had to avoid being led into this kind of atmosphere repeatedly.

She wanted to divert that heavy, sticky gaze full of desire elsewhere.

“Callid. We’re just…”

At that moment, Callid quickly cut off Bellia’s words.

“If you’re going to say we’re just bound by a contract, don’t.”

Then he ran his hand through his fallen hair as if frustrated.

Bellia was wavering.

It was clear just from how she was pushing him away with excuses, unlike their first meeting.

“Right now, I’m only thinking about how I can have you.”

Bellia stiffened.

His voice was subtle and languid like the whisper of a devil.

“There’s no need to think too hard. You need me.”

Though knowing she should refuse, she keeps listening to his words.

“This means I’m giving you the chance to use me as you please.”

Callid pushed Bellia even more persistently.

Her heart pounded passionately at his every word.

Bellia’s pupils shook. Her heart thumped loudly.

She couldn’t move as if her whole body was bound.

And seizing that moment without missing it, Callid drove in the final nail.

“How about it? Don’t you want to perfectly tame a hunting dog?”

At his alluring question, Bellia’s hesitation finally stopped.

‘…I need him.’

The contract hasn’t changed.

Only the condition of whether sincerity is involved or not has been added.

Then she just needs to not waver herself.

That should be fine.

Thinking so, Bellia accepted the provocation Callid had set.

[This is the timeline separator]

The next day, urgent news arrived from the investigation team that had departed for the southern gold mine survey.

The existence of a gold mine was confirmed there, and gold dust was also collected from the riverside marked on the map.

They had expected it to take at least 2 weeks to discover the gold mine, but the results arrived earlier than that.

Callid came to find Bellia with that result report.

“You were really right. A large-scale gold mine reaction appeared there.”

He handed the report to Bellia without hiding his surprise.

Bellia quickly checked the contents written in the report.

[Intense reaction in magic detection tool. Gold mine certain.]

The content was brief as it was an urgent report, but what it meant to convey was clear.

Since they only confirmed the location with the magic tool, further investigation would be needed, but there must definitely be a gold mine there.

The reaction that appeared was much stronger than the one in the eastern mountains where Raul was in charge.

Soon, the Kingdom of Ronica will also dispatch additional personnel.

‘If rumors spread that the gold mine was discovered due to Prince Callid’s excellent judgment…’

There would be no room for Raul to interfere. Raul was already wasting efforts in the east.

He probably never expected there to be a gold mine at the southern end of the mountain range. That’s why it wasn’t discovered for several years before.

“That’s fortunate.”

Bellia said so and quietly took a sip of the tea placed in front of her.

Finally, Callid knew that all her words were true. So now it was his turn.

But she didn’t know what words to say at all.

It was awkward to have to meet him right away like this when such a thing had happened just yesterday, not even a few days ago. It wasn’t easy to smile casually and bring up the plan.

Bellia hesitated for a moment but soon gathered her resolve.

“I kept my promise. So now fulfill the first condition I want. When will the marriage proposal arrive?”

That’s when the signature on our contract will be complete.

Bellia demanded of him in a clear voice.

Callid, who had been watching Bellia with his long legs crossed and arms folded in a crooked posture, slightly raised one corner of his mouth.

“It should be on its way here by now. So now it’s time for you to tell your true purpose. That condition is as good as fulfilled.”

This isn’t right.

Bellia felt annoyed at his conscienceless attitude.

To be precise, he hadn’t yet fulfilled the promised condition.

Raul still hadn’t withdrawn the marriage proposal he had sent to King Ronica.

Completely forgetting how awkward she had felt facing Callid until just a moment ago, Bellia answered with a twisted smile.

“I said that would be after Prince Raul’s proposal was withdrawn.”

“The proposal will arrive soon anyway. Then the condition you want will naturally be fulfilled.”

Callid answered as if it wasn’t a big deal and fixed his gaze on Bellia. Then he smiled very brightly.

Wondering why he was acting like that, Bellia looked at him quizzically as Callid leaned his upper body close, placing his hand on the desk. Finally, he conveyed to her, enunciating each word as if stabbing them into her.

“So tell me honestly. What’s your real purpose?”

Bellia’s pupils shook finely.

To continue working with him in the future, she had to share her true purpose. He was a collaborator, not her subordinate. But the words didn’t come out easily. How could she possibly explain that?

“Bellia.”

Callid called Bellia’s name again.

“I told you to use me. Don’t be afraid and tell me what you truly want.”

Bellia was silent for a moment.

After a brief time passed like that, she spoke heavily.

“…Become the emperor.”

“What?”

Callid asked back in bewilderment at the unexpected words.

“You said you’d help me regain everything I lost.”

The words to become emperor.

Bellia was the second person to say those words to Callid.

The empress, his mother, and Bellia.

‘I didn’t think I’d hear those words again.’

Callid let out a self-mocking laugh.

‘More than that…’

Why does she only talk about giving something to Callid without mentioning her own purpose?

“What does me becoming emperor have to do with your purpose?”

At his question, Bellia clenched her fist and swallowed her anger.

“…I, my purpose is to bring down Raul. I want to see him completely ruined. I thought I needed to take away the most precious thing he could have.”

That was having Callid usurp the emperor’s seat that Raul would have had.

She didn’t want Raul to have anything in his grasp.

Bellia always vividly recalled that moment when she was dying, second by second.

That cruel face forcibly grabbing her face and pouring the poisoned tea into her mouth.

The emperor’s face that didn’t even have a trace of sympathy in his gaze towards her as she was dying.

She wanted to trample him, crush him, and make him fall miserably into the abyss.

“If I can do that, I’ll do anything.”

Yes…

She had something she absolutely had to do.

This is no time to waver weakly over mere emotions. She must use whatever she can use. He even said it was okay to use him as much as she wanted.

Bellia’s wavering gaze stopped.

“You don’t truly love me. You’ve just developed a desire to possess what was Raul’s. But now I don’t even care about that.”

When she learned that Raul was secretly preparing to subjugate demons while intercepting reports.

She was certain that he was no different from the past.

That’s why she also realized she couldn’t just settle for peace.

He was the one who would plunge her life into hell and bring down Ronica.

“You said you want me?”

If she could bind him to herself with just that.

If she could bring down Raul with just that.

Public opinion wouldn’t matter at all.

Bellia slowly approached Callid and arrived in front of him.

Then she slowly reached out and gently stroked Callid’s cheek. When Callid couldn’t take his eyes off her at her action, Bellia smiled softly with her eyes slightly closed.

“Bring Raul to my feet. Then I’ll give you my heart completely.”

Bellia gently kissed him.

Feeling the soft sensation on his lips, Callid smiles as if he simply can’t resist. But soon the brief smile disappears and a low, dangerous voice flows from him.

“…Your wish. I’ll definitely fulfill it.”

“Good. Then make up for that mistake from before, Callid.”

Bellia provoked him by bringing up the conversation they had on the day of the welcoming ceremony.

Callid roughly tore off the buttons of his shirt as if he couldn’t breathe.

Then he pulled Bellia into his arms with an urgent expression that showed no composure.