Chapter 10. Contract Marriage
Kylus’s eyes wavered. Confusion, doubt, and anger—his emotions were easy to read.
How could the daughter of his enemy find the secret passage of the ducal house?
Why was she suddenly appearing, saying such ridiculous things?
He wanted to stab her with his sword right now.
That must have been the mix of thoughts in his head.
“Your Grace.”
Seeing his reaction, Eleanor regained her confidence.
This wasn’t the same man who once made her feel suffocated just by looking at her.
She stepped toward the sword pointed just inches from her skin.
‘Don’t give him time to think—push through quickly.’
As expected, he pulled back the blade. His eyes narrowed, filled with irritation—as if asking, “Are you crazy?”
‘Yeah, half crazy. I came back from death. What am I afraid of anymore?’
Eleanor had nothing now.
Yes, her head was full of knowledge, but her opponent was one of the most powerful men in the empire.
‘He even holds my leash.’
The only bait she could offer was herself.
‘Then I’ll bet on myself.’
She took a deep breath, looking into his purple eyes that were beginning to calm.
Her love was gone.
The man in front of her was just a means to an end.
And that man…
‘He’s still immature.’
Eleanor smiled.
“If you want proof of my sincerity, you can stab me right here. Just… don’t make it fatal, please.”
For a second, the sharpness of his blade dulled.
Her unexpected words had caught him off guard.
Seeing the lowered tip of the sword, Eleanor continued.
“I’ll say it again, Your Grace. I’m here to make a deal. I want to marry you in a contract. My father’s conditions are probably very different from mine.”
His beautiful face twisted in disbelief.
“Hah.”
“…”
“You must think I’m a joke.”
He stepped closer like a beast growling, eyes full of raw anger.
He didn’t stab her—but grabbed her shoulder harshly instead.
‘Ugh!’
Pain shot through her.
“What’s different? In the end, I still have to marry a woman from that disgusting family.”
“It is different. Just hear me ou—ugh!”
His threatening voice growled.
“What insane thing are you saying? Did your father send you? How much have you been spying to know about this secret place? What do you want?”
“You sure have a lot of questions. So let’s just ta—ugh!”
“No.”
His angry voice almost thrilled her. Was she crazy too?
Eleanor looked him straight in the eye, swallowing the bitter taste in her mouth.
I’m scared. I’m scared of you.
“I don’t trust you, Grace.”
She ignored the pounding of her heart.
His pitch-black gaze tried to drown her, but she forced a smile.
She could hardly breathe.
“We saw each other at the banquet. It wasn’t a good first meeting, but I don’t agree with my father.”
“Hah. That wasn’t our first meeting.”
“…”
“…”
He paused, realizing what he said. Her eyes blinked slowly.
He was thinking about the day she fell into the canal.
Eleanor slowly placed her hand over his gripping arm.
It was solid and warm—like the body that had once held her in the night.
But that memory now stabbed her heart like a knife.
“Yes. That was our first meeting. It was an accident, really.”
She deliberately looked at his lips. He frowned, disgusted, and let go of her as if touching something dirty.
Now able to breathe again, Eleanor straightened her shoulders.
She noticed the tips of his ears turning red. Anger, no doubt.
He was shaken. Time to pull him in.
“I was the one who ran away from the wedding. Didn’t you think it was strange? My father dragged me back and forced me to stand at the altar.”
He scoffed.
“A woman who didn’t want to marry me is now asking for a contract marriage?”
Still, he was talking now.
Eleanor’s eyes lit up.
“Because I want to live.”
“What?”
“I’m dying.”
“What kind of nonsense is that? Unbelievable. The things you say, just like your crazy father!”
“Is it a lie?”
She glanced at his clenched jaw and pulled something out of her clothes.
A small, shiny knife—no bigger than a pinky finger.
A silver blade from the mage tower, used to detect poison.
When it cuts a poisoned person…
“Wait, what are you—”
Slice!
“Hey!”
Blood dripped.
“Look.”
Poisoned blood turns black. The darker, the more lethal.
Eleanor smiled as she watched his shocked eyes.
“Black blood. It means I’ve been poisoned with something incurable. Guess who did it? That’s life for the beloved daughter of Count Grace.”
Clear proof.
“What I want is revenge. My father doesn’t even trust his own daughter. I want to leave that house. And for that, I need you.”
“So, you want marriage.”
“If I have to walk through hell, I might as well smooth the path first.”
She once tried to hide her suffering.
She knew her husband never even saw her as a burden, but still didn’t want to show weakness.
Not anymore. In this life, there was no need to hide, to protect him.
Blood still dripping, Eleanor wiped the blade and tucked it away.
“There’s no cure for that poison?”
“No. I might die in about ten years.”
“You say that like it’s nothing.”
“Why? Are you worried? About the life of your enemy’s daughter?”
“Nonsense.”
His eyes shook violently—and strangely, she felt amused.
Like a cruel adult teasing a child. Even though he wasn’t a child, and this wasn’t play.
“Make a choice. Will you let my father leash you like a dog, or marry me under contract?”
After a long silence, Kylus sighed.
“What’s the difference?”
His voice was rough.
“A big one. One leads to endless destruction. The other—”
She pointed to herself.
“Gives you the perfect partner to drag Count Grace into hell. I know a lot. And I want my father dead.”
He rubbed his brow, clearly overwhelmed.
“Hah.”
Then he muttered stubbornly:
“Like father, like daughter. How do I know this isn’t a trick?”
“You’re very suspicious.”
Almost convinced, weren’t you?
Just holding onto pride now.
Eleanor shrugged.
“Come on, Your Grace. Who would fake this with their life on the line? This poison has no cure. I will die.”
That much was true.
“If you want, I can give you my blood to test. Or we can sign a contract tied to my life.”
“You say terrifying things so easily.”
“Oh my, dying people don’t fear much, Your Grace.”
Kylus raised an eyebrow and asked one last question.
“If we make a deal, do you expect me to find the cure?”
“No. I don’t need that.”
“…”
He stared at her bloody fingers, his expression strangely serious.
Was that… concern?
Hah, silly me.
There’s no way. Why was she still hoping?
Eleanor swallowed that bitter thought and took a step back, whispering softly.
“Don’t worry. I’ll divorce you cleanly after a year. Because by then, I’ll have killed my father.”
“…One year.”
“That’s right.”
And now—
“My persuasion ends here. Decide.”
She looked at the man she once loved more than anyone, as if seeing him for the first time.
“Will you marry me?”
“…”
Take my hand. Please.
She held out her bloody hand, her heart pounding painfully.
For a new kind of beginning, so different from the past.
And the man…
* * *
A few days later.
“How dare you humiliate me in such a petty way!”
Count Grace slammed his cane to the ground.
