Chapter 9: The Enemy’s Daughter, and—
“This isn’t right, my lord.”
It was the voice of Kylus’s aide that broke the heavy silence.
“Forgive my rudeness, but even if it’s a promise from the late Emperor… this is too much.”
Kylus didn’t need to hear the rest. The meaning was clear—it was unfair.
He could still picture that man entering the banquet with a sly smile.
Count Grace.
Just thinking of him made Kylus’s blood boil.
That man had destroyed the once-peaceful days of the Duke’s household.
But in the end, the Emperor couldn’t refuse the old promise from the late Emperor.
Which meant Kylus would now be forced to take that woman as his wife.
The daughter of his enemy.
He closed his eyes, the memory of earlier replaying clearly.
‘That woman…’
At first, he hadn’t realized it was her.
But it was.
The woman he had once rescued, soaked and unconscious, and left at a temple.
He thought that would be the last time he saw her.
‘She’s Count Grace’s daughter…?’
His frown deepened.
He remembered her clearly. The mad, burning eyes. The quiet voice that swore she would never marry.
And then… the strange, unexpected touch.
The memory of her lips brushing his made him stiffen.
‘No need to remember that.’
He quickly pushed the thought away and focused again on his duties as the Duke.
The moment that woman had stepped forward beside the Count with a smug smile—she became his enemy.
“How are the knights?”
“The mood isn’t good.”
“And my mother?”
“…The Duchess Dowager…”
His aide’s face darkened.
Kylus’s mother had become mentally unstable due to past events—especially anything involving the Grace family.
“She hasn’t heard yet, but soon she will…”
She might faint.
And once the servants heard, some would cry out of rage.
That’s how deeply hated the Grace family was in the Duke’s household.
Count Grace.
Kylus had named him as the criminal, but because he couldn’t remember every detail of the kidnapping, his word wasn’t accepted as proof.
There was a criminal, but no punishment.
How unjust.
His thirst for revenge still burned inside him.
“It’s fine, my lord. I’ll make her leave on her own. I heard she’s just like her father—rude and vile.”
That woman?
He suddenly hesitated.
He didn’t even know her.
A silly assumption.
Then, as if lost in thought, Kylus raised a hand.
“Oh—my lord, forgive me. I’ve talked too much, and you must be tired…”
The aide quickly bowed and left.
Silence filled the room. Kylus stood and walked calmly to the window.
But then—
“Who’s there?”
A chilling killing aura slashed through the air.
Behind the curtains, no one could be seen, but Kylus drew his sword like a wild predator.
Slowly, the illusion faded.
Someone was standing there.
A young woman.
White skin, delicate features, glowing blonde hair, sharp green eyes.
He could never mistake her.
The crazy woman who had stolen a kiss after he saved her from the water.
The daughter of his enemy.
And she was… smiling.
‘She’s smiling?’
Kylus’s pupils narrowed.
Rage, hatred, and that unwanted memory surged back.
“Eleanor Grace.”
Swish.
His sword flew at her.
* * *
They hadn’t been a loving couple, but ten years was a long time.
Eleanor had gathered a lot of information behind the scenes during her marriage.
Her memory, which never forgot anything, had become her greatest weapon after returning to the past.
She remembered things like:
“The secret passage connected to the Duke’s bedroom.”
High-ranking nobles often had secret tunnels for emergencies.
The Duke’s household was no different.
“If I just sit around, time will slip away.”
She knew this meeting would be unpleasant, but she came anyway—alone, in the dead of night.
Escaping her father’s home had been easy thanks to past experience.
She had used magic to reach the Duke’s secret room.
The real problem was…
‘Can I stay calm?’
Facing him from afar during the banquet had been fine.\His cold eyes didn’t hurt like before.
That was proof her one-sided love had ended.
‘But talking to him…?’
She looked at her trembling hands with a bitter smile.
If she had more time, if there was any other way, she would’ve avoided this forever.
She had once loved him.
But he had also killed her.
‘But I have no other option.’
She clenched her fists.
She had decided to change. Running away would fix nothing.
‘I will survive.’
Her father would force a humiliating marriage on her. And if things dragged on like before, the timing would slip away again.
She couldn’t let that happen.
She needed to leave her father’s home and gain power.
And she needed someone strong enough to go against her father.
‘I have to get in before Katrina shows up.’
In the past, when she moved into the Duke’s house after marriage, Katrina was already there.
That woman claimed to have saved the young Kylus long ago.
The Duke’s household, already unhappy about taking an enemy’s daughter as their lady, had praised Katrina instead.
“You should’ve been our mistress!” they had said.
They never knew she was lying.
Eleanor didn’t plan to reveal the truth—that she had saved Kylus, not Katrina.
There would be no love in this deal.
No expectations. No regrets.
She needed only one year of marriage.
Nothing more.
And the Duke was the sharpest weapon against her father.
With that resolve, she activated the magic circle.
Flash!
The world turned white.
A familiar scent filled her nose as the space changed.
She was in his bedroom.
‘So this is really it…’
Then she heard the door and approaching footsteps.
‘He must know I’m here.’
Kylus wouldn’t miss something like this.
Would he strike her down?
Eleanor took a deep breath.
She prayed her face wouldn’t give anything away.
She wanted to look like a cold, unfeeling woman—the enemy’s daughter.
Someone who could use him and throw him away.
“Who’s there?”
That voice—sharp and unforgettable.
The air split, and the magic around her was cut.
He stood before her, glaring.
But unlike the cold, unreadable man of the past, his face now clearly showed emotion.
‘You were never this open before.’
She relaxed a little.
‘Right… it’s ten years ago.’
He was him, but not quite yet.
“Eleanor Grace.”
The way he said her name felt like a curse.
But Eleanor almost laughed.
Even as his blade sliced toward her, she didn’t flinch.
She only smiled wider.
My dear, hateful husband.
“Duke Carniel.”
What now?
You won’t be able to kill me.
“I’ve come to propose a marriage deal.”
His sword froze.
