Chapter 7
While Vivian was floundering in the swamp of engagement, Aslan wrapped his arm around her shoulders and gently, almost soothingly, stroked down.
“It must be a bit sudden. But we’re already engaged, and I just hope you understand that we’re merely moving up the wedding date a little.”
With a single phrase—”we’re already engaged”—Aslan brushed off her protests.
His touch on her shoulder was careful, as if handling a delicate flower petal, but Vivian couldn’t take his words at face value.
Naturally. How was she supposed to trust a man who made two-faced expressions and got upset over the slightest thing—like a sunfish?
‘Is he trying to keep me close and watch me? To see if I’ve figured out his true identity?’
The fact that Aslan was cursed by Astaroth was a top-level secret.
Even in the original story, anyone—regardless of status—who saw him transformed into the black lion was killed on sight. She would be no exception.
Vivian held the marriage certificate out to Aslan.
“This is too sudden. I need time to think.”
“I thought you wanted to marry me too.”
“I also need to get my father’s permission…”
“I’ll send someone to the capital. If we use the fastest horse, it’ll take about a week.”
Sweat dripped down Vivian’s back. No matter how hard she racked her brain, she couldn’t come up with a good excuse. Any lie she tried quickly ran into a wall.
She pleaded with her protesting brain.
‘Please, please, tell me a good way out of this!’
Of course, no such miracle came.
Just as Vivian was despairing internally, Aslan bit his lip in frustration and gave an order to the servants.
“Everyone out.”
“Yes, sir.”
Don’t leave! If you’re going, take this guy with you!
But of course, that miracle didn’t happen either. The servants bowed their heads and silently slipped out of the room like the tide going out.
Click. The door closed, and only Vivian and Aslan remained in the large bedroom.
But unlike when he had so forcefully dismissed the servants, he now seemed hesitant to speak.
He opened and closed his lips several times, as if choosing his words, and finally called out to her.
“Vivian.”
Vivian immediately looked up. Having only heard “my lady” or “you” from him before, hearing her name for the first time made her feel like a student about to get scolded.
Aslan didn’t look too happy either.
His face flushed bright red, and—unlike him—he even averted his gaze. She didn’t know why, but he was clearly upset.
Sitting at the edge of the bed, Aslan’s eyes turned heavy.
“From your hesitation, I can guess you don’t want to marry me. Am I right?”
Of all times, the shirt Aslan wore was incredibly thin, and his tall, muscular build was clearly visible.
His broad chest, those taut arms that looked ready to burst…
‘No, I’m definitely not scared. Not at all.’
The brave Vivian decided to revise her original plan to firmly reject him. She’d try to persuade him gently instead.
“Your Highness, you know how little time I have left…”
“I don’t want to hear it.”
“Please listen. You may not have noticed, but my body’s already at its limit. Even the slightest strain makes me cough up blood, and I sometimes faint.”
Aslan had seen her in such a state before. But he had been in his beast form at the time, so he probably didn’t remember.
Vivian made sure to pronounce coughing blood and fainting very clearly.
“I’ll admit it. I wanted you. Desperately, so much that I’d do anything just to marry you.”
“I know.”
The female lead hadn’t appeared in the story yet, so technically she hadn’t done anything reckless. Still, seeing Aslan agree so readily left a bitter taste in her mouth.
“So you don’t want to marry me?”
“Yes.”
“Because you’re dying, so you’ve decided to give up everything.”
Exactly. Smart man!
Vivian nodded energetically, relieved that she didn’t need to come up with another excuse.
“Vivian, I won’t let you reject me for a reason like that. You know I’m a man full of greed—more than you. I always get what I want.”
“…Excuse me?”
“Sign it.”
Aslan stepped closer, wrapped his arm around her shoulder again, and firmly held her right hand. With his other hand, he pulled the discarded marriage certificate back over.
It was truly strange. They were both just people, and yet it felt like she was trapped in a steel frame—unable to move at all.
“Don’t reject me. You wouldn’t want to see me go mad…”
Aslan began moving her hand with firm pressure. The first letter of her name was already elegantly written.
“I’ll save you. No matter what it takes, I’ll make sure you live.”
He murmured more to himself than to her, and a chilling gleam flickered in his golden eyes.
Vivian, who had been wriggling to escape from his grasp, finally gave up and shook her head desperately.
“Even if you say that, it’s already too late. The doctor said it himself—there’s no cure for tuberculosis!”
“I’ll cut out his tongue. For spouting nonsense to you…”
“It’s not nonsense!”
She felt like she was going to lose her mind.
In the original story, Aslan hated Vivian. Yet here he was, forcing this marriage forward. No matter how she looked at it, there could only be one reason.
‘He suspects me. He thinks I saw him transform from the black lion back into a human!’
Once the marriage certificate was completed, she’d be nothing but a prisoner.
They’d use the excuse of protecting their lady to assign someone to watch her everywhere. Even in the privacy of her own bedroom, she wouldn’t be able to act or speak freely.
‘I have to stop this. I can’t get married!’
By now, her middle name was being written onto the document. Her neck’s safety was hanging by a thread.
Vivian shouted desperately.
“I-I’ll tell everyone it was my selfish demand that broke off the engagement. I’ll handle everything so your reputation isn’t harmed!”
“I don’t care about that. What I’m more curious about… is why you’re so desperate to avoid my proposal. It feels like… there’s another reason.”
Another reason? Had he noticed she knew his secret?
Aslan muttered something about another man, but survival-focused Vivian didn’t even hear it.
“No! Absolutely not! Why would you think such a ridiculous thing?!”
“Exactly.”
“It’s just that I think someone else would suit you better. I mean, even if you married my father, I’d still happily congratulate you!”
In her rush, she’d made a slight verbal misstep, but it was still her honest feeling.
Even if Aslan didn’t marry the female lead and ended up with Duke Eleonora, she wouldn’t care at all. If needed, she’d MC the wedding and sing the congratulatory song too.
But it seemed her sincerity didn’t reach him.
His first reaction was—
“Me and Duke Eleonora? Vivian, are you serious?”
His face showed genuine shock. As if he couldn’t believe she’d been thinking that.
“Let me check your temperature. You’re clearly unwell.”
“No, I’m perfectly fine…!”
Vivian shook her head furiously, but Aslan was firm.
He forcibly tucked her under the covers and placed a wet towel on her forehead before stepping back, satisfied.
“You’re clearly not in a rational state. We’ll talk again in a few days.”
Are you kidding me right now?!
“In the meantime, you should prepare yourself. I’ve already sent someone to the capital. To get formal approval from the emperor for our marriage.”
“….”
“Well, it’s just a formality.”
With that, Aslan leisurely kissed her forehead and left the room—leaving Vivian in stunned silence.
＊ ＊ ＊
“Damn it.”
After stepping out of the bedroom, Aslan ruffled his hair as he walked down the empty corridor.
His face was burning, and his heart felt like it was about to explode. He couldn’t calm down without cursing.
The moment his lips touched her forehead… the moment her eyes met his…
“This is driving me insane.”
Just a few more days, and Vivian would be his wife.
Yet, every place her eyes had touched still burned like fire, making it hard for him to keep his head clear. An indescribable heat was consuming him.
Aslan suddenly stopped walking. The fact that he could think such things toward a clearly ill woman made him feel utterly ashamed.
Wasn’t this the behavior of a filthy beast?
‘Right. I wasn’t human to begin with.’
A hideous, monstrous creature wearing the mask of a man.
Beneath the thin facade lay nothing but raging instincts and destructive urges.
But this wasn’t the time for self-pity. He had to find a way to save Vivian. If there was no doctor in the South who could cure tuberculosis, he’d search the entire continent.
He couldn’t bear to see Vivian quietly accept her impending death anymore.
“Master.”
Just then, a retainer who had been searching for Aslan bowed before him.
“The renovation of the estate is complete. We couldn’t refurbish the entire southern estate due to the rushed purchase, but it should be sufficient for the lady to rest and recover.”
“Vivian is not ‘the lady.’ Be careful how you refer to her.”
“My apologies. I misspoke regarding madam.”
