CHAPTER 4
Oh my god. He came to see me. Why is he here? Did I do something awful yesterday?
My memory isn’t perfect, so I can’t even guess. And not being able to guess just makes the fear grow. Meeting him in this state would definitely put me at a disadvantage. So—
“I-I’m so sick. Ah! Why does my head hurt so much?”
The best strategy is to avoid him for now. I just need to buy some time. Once my memory comes back, it won’t be too late to meet him then.
Clutching my head, I bolted for the bed and collapsed dramatically. Anna gave me a strange look, then shook her head vigorously.
What was that? What kind of thought did she just try to shake out of her brain?
“I personally think you should meet the Flower Magician, but if this is your decision, I support you, my lady!”
With a needlessly solemn tone and both fists clenched, Anna marched out toward the drawing room where he was probably waiting.
Before long, she returned to the room with her shoulders squared like a soldier returning from war.
“I’ve delivered your message.”
That’s our Anna. Good job.
Now that I’d flopped onto the bed, the demons weren’t bothering me either, so I figured I’d try to get some more sleep. But just then—
Knock knock.
“Um… my lady, you have another visitor.”
Again? The demons quiet down for a day, and now people start bothering me?
For the past ten years, I’ve had zero visitors at this mansion. And now today, the record’s broken.
“Seems like today’s a popular day,” I muttered.
Even Anna looked awkward as she scratched her head and opened the door. But something about her face, whispering to the servant, seemed off.
“My lady, the Flower Magician…”
“He just left, didn’t he?”
“Yes, but now he says he’s come to check on your health…”
This man clearly had no intention of leaving no matter the excuse. It was obvious now that he knew I was avoiding him. There was no point resisting anymore.
“Anna, how do I look right now?”
“Beautiful!”
No, not that. Not a blind answer like that.
“I mean, do I look pitiful, maybe?”
“Beautiful!”
“Or maybe a little depressed?”
“Beautiful!”
Let’s not even try.
I grabbed the oldest, most worn dress I had, had Anna do my makeup as pale as possible, and made my face look as gloomy as I could before heading to the drawing room.
Unlike me, who was tense and nervous, Ian sat with his long legs crossed, casually reading a newspaper someone must’ve brought him. Watching him like that reminded me of what he said about not believing in things like horoscopes. The memory only made my anxiety worse.
“Sorry to keep you waiting.”
“Ah, Miss Railey.”
He folded the newspaper elegantly and stood up.
As he approached, I was reminded of how tall he was—at least a head taller than me—and I instinctively took a step back. I had seen him just yesterday, but somehow he felt unfamiliar again.
“You must not be feeling well.”
He must’ve thought my step back was from dizziness. Fine by me. Let him think that.
“I’m fine. Shall we sit?”
Suddenly, Ian held out his hand. “Just in case you stumble,” he said casually, then gave the slightest shake as if to encourage me to take it.
Ever the gentleman, he escorted me to my seat and only sat down once I was settled across from him. The maids arrived to serve tea and snacks before retreating.
While drinking his tea, Ian kept his eyes fixed on me. Then he chuckled lightly and set down his cup.
“Since you’re not feeling well, I’ll get straight to the point.”
“I’d appreciate that.”
“Magic cannot fundamentally help you, Miss Railey.”
I felt my tense body loosen slightly. So he wasn’t here because of yesterday’s embarrassing behavior. Thank goodness.
“But I know how you can rid yourself of the demons.”
He leaned back in his chair, raising an eyebrow smugly. He looked utterly full of himself. Watching him, only one thought came to mind:
What’s his angle?
He knew full well how awkward things were between us, yet he suddenly shows up saying this? Is he really here out of kindness? If even the magic of a Grand Mage is useless, do I really need to deal with this man?
I’d met so many people trying to get rid of these demons—been betrayed, manipulated, used. I had every reason to be suspicious of someone suddenly offering help.
Let’s test him a little first.
“Unfortunately, I’ve tried every method out there. So whatever method you know, I’ve probably already tried it.”
“That’s impossible. This method is a secret known to no one.”
“Clearly not. You know it, after all.”
“I’m always the exception.”
“Well, I’m sick of exceptions.”
“In that case, you especially need to know this method. It’s probably the only, maybe the last way out of being the exception.”
His confidence left me speechless. If what he said was true, this might actually be my last hope.
“You don’t seem to believe me, so let me give you a hint.”
His lips curled up into a graceful smirk, his attitude as relaxed as if nothing in the world could trouble him. It made me curious despite myself.
“A hint?”
“Your back. Specifically, your right shoulder blade. The mark there.”
…Mark? I did have a weird birthmark there. Anna and I used to joke it was where my wings were, that I must’ve been an angel in a past life.
What about it?
“A mark?”
“Miss Railey, you might’ve just thought it was a mole.”
…Is he reading my mind with magic or something? Hey, you idiot magician. Dumb mutt.
“That’s not a mole. It’s a mark. Erasing it is the only way to rid yourself of the demons.”
Thankfully, he couldn’t hear my thoughts.
“You’re saying the demons aren’t drawn to my life force, but because of that mark?”
“To simplify, the mark is what emits the powerful life energy.”
“Even if that’s true, how do I erase it?”
I asked out of curiosity, and Ian’s expression shifted to one I knew all too well—like a demon offering a contract.
“In exchange for telling you, there’s a condition.”
Of course there is. Just as I started leaning toward him, I snapped back and clapped my knee. But weirdly enough, I felt more comfortable knowing there was a condition. Kindness with no strings always deserved suspicion.
“What’s the condition?”
“Marriage.”
“Marriage?”
“Marry me.”
……
I finally understood what it meant to be so shocked you can’t speak or move.
In front of me sat a once-in-a-lifetime Grand Mage, proposing marriage.
Is this a dream?
If it is, it’s a messed-up one. I want no part in a dream with a crazy magician. Are all powerful mages like this? So obsessed they go mad? Is this the kind of madness it takes to be great?
Whether he knew how disturbed and annoyed I felt or not, the lunatic in front of me just kept grinning.
“You seem to find this amusing.”
“Pfft. Hahaha.”
Now he’s outright laughing. Fine. If this is revenge for my behavior yesterday, I’ll take it.
“As I said yesterday, you make me laugh, Miss Railey.”
“Well, if the joke’s over, you can leave. Consider the debt repaid. Let’s never see each other again!”
I stood abruptly, all etiquette forgotten.
“Joke? What joke?”
“Yesterday I… you’re messing with me because I embarrassed myself!”
“Embarrassed? No. You were adorable yesterday.”
Did I mishear? As I tapped my ears, Ian continued,
“Everything I said—the method, the mark, marriage—I meant every word.”
He gently pulled me back into my seat. Even that was done with annoying elegance. I felt like the only fool in the room.
“Why… Why marry me?”
“If you have to enter a political marriage, isn’t it better to do so with someone who can help you? I’m under imperial pressure myself. And removing the mark will take time. If we’re seen together during that period, rumors will fly—bad ones. For you, mostly.”
He paused, as if waiting for my reaction.
“And more than anything… I like you, Miss Railey.”
What the hell?
“Well, I don’t like you.”
“You will soon.”
He rose, maintaining that damned elegant air.
“I’ll give you time to think. But don’t overthink it. Follow your instincts.”
I glared at him, full of irritation, but he just winked smoothly and left.
A handsome face, a silver tongue—it all felt vaguely familiar. But I dismissed the thought. Ian didn’t carry the demonic aura I was so used to sensing.
Having lived practically attached to demons my whole life, I could easily tell the difference between a demon and a human.
“Please eat some porridge. The chef made it for you since you’re unwell.”
After Ian dropped that bomb and left, I really did start to feel sick.
[I’ll return in five days.]
And like before, he left behind a ticking time bomb.
