She’s quite a well-mannered lady.

She was the kind of woman who boldly said she was a lady and could never do such a thing when told she didn’t need to knock, and who kept her word even in such a precarious moment. When there was no response, the sound of knocking on the door again, a little louder, was heard. Kaius chuckled softly and slowly rose to greet her like a gentleman.

He walked leisurely and opened the door.

As he stepped aside, the scent of his wife who had just bathed wafted in. But not in nightwear. He chuckled again at the sight.

As the door closed firmly, Ariel shuddered at an inexplicable chill. Kaius passed by her as she hesitated near the door and sat back down on the sofa.

“Sit.”

Her movements were quiet as she obediently came and sat across from him. The almost inaudible sound seemed to be due to her being unusually light. Kaius, who confirmed that his wife’s face looked even paler than usual in the moonlight, headed for the fireplace.

“I’m not trying to kill the duke, but to save him.”

Ariel spoke first while he was lighting the firewood.

“Quiet, Ariel.”

He hadn’t invited her to the bedroom to hear her excuses. As Kaius, who had lit the fireplace, slowly approached, Ariel met his eyes. Only then did he notice her reddened eyes.

“Kaius… you must believe me. I will save the duke. I must.”

“Yes, I believe you.”

“What?”

Ariel’s large eyes widened in surprise at his words of belief.

“But so what? Does that erase the fact that you deceived me and diligently tended to a plant meant to kill me every day?”

It was too low and gentle to be called indignant. Like when he uttered praise saying it was a taste he wanted to eat again.

“Tell me, Ariel. If I believe you, does that make the fact that my body is dying disappear?”

Ariel, who turned pale at his words, gripped her hands together so tightly it hurt. Unable to meet his cold gaze, she lowered her eyes, and the shadow of her eyelashes fell darkly over her reddened eyelids.

“Is that all? You even made me sign a marriage contract by deceiving me. While treating the wounds I suffered because of you. As if doing me a favor.”

His voice, uttering such cruel words, sounded languid. Now, even just sitting still, her breath quickened and her whole body began to tremble.

“…That’s absolutely not true. I was sincerely sorry, and that’s still the case now.”

“Sorry? How easy.”

His voice even had a hint of amusement.

Ariel could fully understand the contempt he must be feeling. It wouldn’t be much different from how she felt when betrayed by Ludvian. How much betrayal must he feel, having found out that the unknown cause was due to a plant his wife had grown. Coming to see him again today was probably the wrong choice. Just seeing her face must be painful for him.

“I’m sorry…”

“That’s enough about things that can’t be undone. How are you so sure you can save me? Do you think you can even survive going to the demon realm? And if you go, can you find that plant?”

“Well, I’ll… do my best to try.”

“Do you think that’s something that can be done just by trying? In the demon realm, demons can use all of their innate power. That’s power on a completely different level than when they’re in the human realm.”

“A dragon… a dragon will soon hatch. Although it’s still a baby dragon, it will be helpful in the demon realm.”

Ariel’s trembling voice gained a little strength.

“A dragon?”

Kaius tilted his head at the unexpected words.

“Yes, I can make the dragon egg in my bedroom hatch.”

A faint light seemed to come to her face that was on the verge of crying as he showed interest.

“How much help do you think that mere baby dragon will be?”

But when even that failed to change Kaius’s mind, Ariel’s eyes darkened rapidly as if a light had gone out.

“When its first growth stage is complete, the Dragon Pier…”

“Why should I take such a risk? I think I know a faster and more certain way for me to live.”

As he finished speaking, Kaius’s gaze fell on the sword.

“I think everything would be resolved clearly if you, who grow the demon realm flower, were to die. Don’t you agree?”

Ariel burst into tears she had been barely holding back at the cruel truth uttered by the man before her.

“…Yes. That’s right.”

Tears flowed down her cheeks following her choked voice.

“Still… can’t you give me just one chance?”

Her voice, filled with desperation, trembled faintly.

“If I give you a chance, Ariel. That means I could die, doesn’t it? Shouldn’t I gain something to take on such a risk?”

Now Kaius spoke so indifferently it sounded monotonous. As if discussing a business deal rather than his own life.

“…What, what do you want?”

“The Elbartan line has always been short on heirs. Even the collateral branches have blood too thin to be considered Elbartan. As the head of the family, I should have some insurance too, shouldn’t I?”

Realizing what Kaius’s words meant, Ariel jumped up in shock. That absolutely could not happen. Absolutely not. Not when her cursed ability might be passed on to a child.

“That’s impossible. How could we do that? Are you saying you’ll continue to look at me who deceived you? That’s absolutely out of the question. I will definitely save you, Duke. So after that, you should marry a good woman again and live happily.”

Her silver hair swayed as she shook her head.

“You know that’s for the best.”

Watching her speak as if doing him a favor, the corners of Kaius’s lips lifted slightly. His eyes were cold and unfeeling.

“Ariel, isn’t it funny that you, who tried to kill me, are worrying about me?”

No malice could be felt in his voice, which was too low. Kaius uncrossed his legs and opened the mahogany cigar case.

“That, that was because of the threat…”

“What I want is one thing. If you want to stay by my side and try to save me, bear an heir for Elbartan. After that, whether you leave or stay is up to you. I’ll respect your wishes.”

“No! No, anything but that is absolutely impossible.”

Kaius put a cigar in his mouth as he watched her golden eyes, which were filled with stubborn strength even as she cried.

“…Rather.”

Ariel swallowed dryly, her hands clenched so tightly that veins stood out. The faces of her past life and life after regression, her parents and Edward, Anna, swirled chaotically in her consciousness along with the man before her. But she couldn’t pass on the curse. The thought of a child going through the same thing as her made her skin crawl. Finally making the worst decision, Ariel met his excessively dry eyes.

“I’ll give up my life instead.”

Kaius stared at Ariel’s eyes again, wondering if he had heard wrong. After looking at her reddened eyes for a long time, he realized. That she had just said she would die now.

Kaius, his head buzzing, smiled a little.

“You’ll die?”

Kaius smiled coldly at the sight of the woman who dared to chatter such an absurd thing as dying rather than bearing his child. Faced with that smile, Ariel burst into tears and squeezed her eyes shut. As if letting go of everything. At that sight, even Kaius’s breath could no longer maintain calm.

Kaius put down the unlit cigar and slowly stood up, gripping the sword.

Kaius’s face smiled as he approached Ariel without a sound. It was a face that looked gentle, as if bestowing mercy.

His hand, which had come right up to her face, touched Ariel’s cheek. Ariel slowly opened her eyes at his cool touch wiping away her flowing tears. Her body trembled unconsciously at the touch that momentarily felt affectionate. His large hand, which had been moving slowly, suddenly gripped Ariel’s nape.

It was a neck so thin that one hand could wrap around it completely. If he applied force now, his life could become peaceful again. The nights of being attacked without knowing the cause, the time of craving for the woman who had toyed with him, would all disappear. A life where he could just live as the perfect Elbartan was right before his eyes.

But his breath became a little rougher at the woman’s attitude of not resisting at all, like someone waiting for judgment. Damn it. Just as he was at a loss for what to do, the now familiar sound of “zing” reached Kaius’s ears.

***

A low curse flowed from Kaius’s lips at the barrier opening at such an absurd moment. Yet his hands began to deal with the endless attacks of demons. Those movements were a little more urgent and rough than usual.

It might be because of the thought that Ariel might run away from him, even though he knew it was impossible, knew she was a woman with a strong sense of responsibility. What if Ariel had disappeared from that spot after the barrier disappeared?

No, rather run away. If she disappeared from his sight forever, he might be able to accept all this as an inevitable fate. Perhaps this is the only time she can escape from him. So run away to a place where I can’t find you. Ariel.

It was then that one demon avoided Kaius’s blade and ran elsewhere. Avoiding the target it should attack and running away? His face froze as he turned in that direction, puzzled by the unfamiliar situation for a moment.

How on earth inside the barrier?

He had made countless attempts before. Carsen, Rashid, and Lemon had stayed by his side, and even tried waiting while holding his arm.

Before his eyes was a woman crouching small and trembling without even screaming. No matter how you looked at it, it was that woman. Ariel.

“Damn it.”

Kaius moved nimbly towards his wife.