Damion stood at the opened door, staring at Ansi. Eventually, Ansi rose from her seat and approached him.

Sitting in the room while its owner was away, she had been pondering. How Damion de Orphe knew about Lubellsa’s power. And now, what position she should take.

“Ansi.”

Damion called her name. His voice was dry. But compared to his tone in the carriage this morning, it felt almost sweet.

“Do you remember the clause in our marriage vows that said we should have no secrets from each other?”

Ansi’s eyes wavered at the unexpected question.

Of course she remembered. Wasn’t this marriage started by hiding such a huge secret from the beginning? They should cherish and love each other, and trust without hiding secrets. While reciting those insincere vows, Ansi found herself unbearably ridiculous.

But what was the intent behind suddenly asking such a question? It probably wasn’t a question thrown knowing her real purpose. Then was he trying to blame her for not telling him about Geris?

“What if I do remember?”

However, contrary to Ansi’s thoughts, Damion hadn’t brought it up to hear her secrets.

“I intend to end the act now.”

“…The act?”

“I have something to confess to you.”

A calm voice flowed from him.

Seeing Ansi’s face, the thoughts that had been troubling Damion all day, no, ever since marrying her, subsided. The confused emotions that had been swept up as if in rough waves were rather calmly organized.

As if entering the eye of a storm.

The answer to his dilemma was already decided.

Damion could no longer use her life. He could no longer deceive her and eat away at her life.

Even if it meant not achieving the goal he had set for his life.

“The truth is, I knew. The fact that you could see my death.”

The woman who had frozen in shock earlier when asked if she had seen the future was now quite calm. It seemed she had prepared herself mentally while he was gone.

“Since when?”

“From the beginning.”

“How?”

“I heard from Count Lubellsa that one can foresee moments when their partner faces a crisis of death. I assumed you, his daughter, would have such an ability too.”

“…”

Ansi’s eyes wavered.

If he heard it from her father, it means he knew for a year, no, even longer than that.

It wasn’t that he accidentally found out somehow midway, but he knew long before they met at the Zidengau banquet. He reunited with her in that state. And yet he didn’t mention anything about that ability…

Despite having mentally prepared herself, Ansi’s heart pounded. She took a small breath. To steady her shaky breathing.

“…Did you really marry me because you liked me?”

Honestly, it had been doubtful from the start. Love at first sight, it still doesn’t make sense thinking about it again.

She just came to believe it as time passed. It happened gradually without realizing. At least she came to think that the fact Damion liked her was true.

But if Damion knew about her ability, it’s a different story.

“No.”

For someone saying such cruel words, he gave her quite a warm look. But the meaning of his answer was clear. Ansi’s eyes wavered.

It had been all false romance from the beginning.

With that, he had deceived her.

“Did you also know there was a penalty for me when I saved you?”

Damion nodded. Ansi bit her lower lip. Her pale face turned even whiter.

Strangely, tears welled up.

She didn’t want to shed tears. Crying felt so foolish. She didn’t even understand why she was crying.

Ansi marveled at her own duality. How shameless. She felt like putting a bullet in her tear ducts.

What right did she have to cry over being deceived by the other party when she herself started this marriage deceiving Damion?

Even if she couldn’t like him.

Now she had a definite card against the man.

She is the only person who can prevent his fated death.

By preventing his death next time. With that as a condition, Ansi might be able to take the lead in this marriage. It was a much more effective card than love or such ridiculous emotions.

She had been steeling herself like that the whole time sitting in the room waiting for him. If it turned out he married her for that power, she was going to boldly offer to let him use this power.

But the moment she saw the man’s face entering the room, everything became jumbled. The organized thoughts scattered like dust, and all that remained were wretched emotions.

“You should have kept hiding it to the end. Then I would have foolishly thrown myself for you anyway.”

Words mixed with spite shot out like sharp spears. As if saving the man had been because of her heart, not her purpose.

Even if she throws such words, Ansi ultimately cannot leave this man, no, Orphe. Not because of her heart, but because of her purpose.

“Why are you making such a confession now? Did you feel sympathy for me who came running for you today?”

“It’s not like that.”

“Then explain so I can understand. Who knows? If you explain well why Damion used me, I might cooperate next time too.”

“I’m confessing because I don’t want you to do that.”

“…”

He doesn’t want her to do that?

Ansi stared at Damion, trying to grasp the meaning behind his words.

He reached out his hand. He wiped away the tears that had formed in her reddened eyes. At his gentle gesture, Ansi’s heart ached as if being squeezed. Amor, that god tormented her even in moments like this.

“Don’t come running like today ever again, Ansi.”

“What do you…”

“Whatever you see in your dreams, just ignore it. Pretend you didn’t see anything, that you don’t know anything.”

“Are you telling me to just watch you die?”

“I mean don’t use your life for me anymore.”

Damion was firm. He lowered his eyes.

“Until now, I’ve been eating away at Ansi for the purpose of my life.”

“What was the purpose of your life?”

“…To possess Orphe. My purpose was Orphe itself, and to obtain it, I had to not die.”

“…”

“But now I’ve grown tired of such a life. So I want to change my life’s purpose, even if it’s late.”

His tone was as calm as a windless lake. Since he wasn’t properly making eye contact, it was hard to clearly grasp with what emotions he was saying such words.

“Ansi, I’m truly sorry to you. It might be difficult to make up for the time you lost, but I’ll compensate somewhat with money. That’s the same even if we divorce. Whatever you decide, Ansi, I’ll follow.”

Ansi bit her lip and spat out words.

“Selfish bastard.”

“You can curse me as a disgusting trash. I think so too.”

“Hypocrite bastard without emotions.”

Damion showed no reaction. He just quietly listened to Ansi’s words as if they were all true. It seemed he wouldn’t budge even if she hurled harsher insults and words that would scratch him.

But Ansi couldn’t say more.

Because all those curses felt like words to herself.

Ansi eventually walked past him.

Bang, the door closed.

She couldn’t talk to him anymore right now. No, she couldn’t stay in this mansion.

She hurriedly left the mansion.

“My lady, where are you going?”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“Then at least your coat…!”

Simon anxiously tried to follow, but she shook him off. Ansi went outside in her indoor clothes. The sky was cloudy. As she walked aimlessly, she saw a shared carriage. She boarded it without hesitation.

Pitter-patter, the falling raindrops gradually intensified. Damion, who had collapsed onto the sofa after Ansi left, slowly raised his head.

He felt he should try to speak to her again, somehow. He hadn’t known he was such an impatient person. But right now, that’s how his heart felt.

Damion opened the door and came out. There was one servant lingering in the hallway. It was Simon, Ansi’s dedicated maid.

“Is Ansi in her room?”

“Ah, Master, that…”

Simon came running as if she had been waiting. Damion’s face hardened at her anxious expression.

“The lady went out telling me not to follow, but she hasn’t returned yet… She didn’t even take an umbrella…”

“Did you hear where she went?”

“No.”

“Check if she’s still somewhere in the mansion. I’ll look outside.”

Damion hurried outside with his coat over his arm. The rain was falling fiercely. Damion tried to rationalize. There wouldn’t be many places she could go in this rain.

He realized that thought was wrong only after visiting Sophia’s house, the Baileys marquisate where her friend was, and Count Lubellsa’s grave.