YPDM 15

Chapter 15

Lennox looked at me as if he’d just heard something he shouldn’t have, then let out a hollow laugh.

“Do you not think before you speak?”

Though phrased in a refined noble manner, the essence of his words was clear—something along the lines of, ‘Stop talking nonsense.’

I couldn’t blame him for feeling that way.

Had I been in his shoes, I might’ve reacted the same.

But I had something to rely on.

I recalled the bold headline from the newspaper: “The Duke of Cravant Is Looking for a Special Bride!”

“You’re looking for someone with a special ability. An Ephure, right?”

But the confident claim I made hit an unexpected wall.

“That article didn’t come from me.”

“…What?”

“It was just a tabloid rumor. A correction was published days ago.”

I hurriedly checked the article date—it was over a week old. My mouth fell open in shock.

“Then… the bride—”

“Was never being sought, and I have no plans to find one. Sorry to disappoint.”

His curt reply left me speechless.

Meanwhile, Lennox stood up and straightened himself.

“That’s all I came for. Take care.”

“Wait!”

I called out urgently as he headed for the balcony.

I couldn’t let go of this golden opportunity—not now.

I quickly rattled off the only leverage I had.

“You know about the powers of an Ephure. I can help you, Your Grace.”

Lennox stared at me in silence.

I couldn’t read his expression, but I still held out hope and waited for his answer.

The reply was cold.

“Not at all.”

An unhesitating and blunt rejection. But I wasn’t ready to give up.

“Is it because I haven’t fully awakened my powers yet?”

This was a matter of life and death—I couldn’t just give up.

“I’m in the first awakening stage now, but I’ll reach the next stage soon. It won’t take long…”

“I think you’re misunderstanding something.”

He cut me off.

The trace of gentleness from earlier vanished, replaced with an impassive face.

“I don’t need an Ephure’s power.”

“Even if not now, someday you might.”

As if unwilling to hear any more, Lennox opened the balcony door.

“You could get hurt while dealing with the evil spirits in the Lutolu Forest!”

That’s when it happened.

Lennox abruptly stopped.

Click—

The half-open door shut again with the sound of the latch locking.

As he slowly turned back toward me, I instinctively held my breath.

“…What did you just say?”

His demeanor had completely changed. The glint in his blood-red eyes was threatening.

But I couldn’t afford to be intimidated—not in the dire situation I was in.

“I just said that if you ever got hurt, I could heal you. Did I offend you?”

“…You say interesting things.”

He closed the distance between us in an instant. I had no time to retreat.

Standing so close we nearly touched, he looked down at me.

“Which is it?”

The piercing look in his eyes made me feel like he could see straight through me.

Still, I met his gaze without flinching, though my lower lip trembled from the tension.

Then his smooth lips parted and a soft voice spilled out, almost like a murmur.

“Do you know what you’re saying, or was it just a lucky guess?”

“…What?”

“Let me ask you plainly. Do you know about the Cravant Madness?”

“…What?”

The sudden question made my eyes widen.

“Madness?”

That word didn’t seem to fit him.

Assuming it meant the same thing here as it did in my world.

“Are you… sick?”

“To put it precisely—I’m going insane.”

I gasped.

“I’m living in a constant loop of being consumed by madness and going berserk because of it. There’s no way to survive that without losing my mind.”

As I stood there, speechless, my mouth moving but no words coming out, Lennox looked down at me with a crooked smirk.

“You said I might get hurt dealing with the spirits? Nothing in the Lutolu Forest can lay a finger on me.”

After finishing his words, he stared at me for a while, then slowly relaxed his expression.

“You really didn’t know, did you?”

I felt out of breath.

Struggling to steady myself, I met his eyes directly.

“Was I supposed to know?”

“No.”

Lennox smiled leisurely.

But that smile was laced with a chilling undertone.

“If you had known my secret and were testing me…”

“…”

“I would’ve killed you right here.”

My heart dropped. A cold chill ran down my spine, raising goosebumps across my body.

Despite the mild weather, I felt like I was standing in the middle of a glacier.

The fabric of my dress, clutched tightly in my fist, was now crumpled into a mess.

For the first time today, I finally came face to face with the raw, vicious reality hidden beneath this man’s noble and polished façade.

‘I was too careless.’

In hindsight, it had been odd.

‘I’ve only met him twice—what was I thinking…?’

Too easily, I’d assumed Lennox was on my side.

I trusted him without question, and before I realized it, I’d started relying on him.

I had placed my trust in someone I barely knew.

And yet, the most confusing part of it all was this:

‘I can’t afford to lose him.’

A powerful, unexplainable instinct told me that.

“Don’t let me go, Your Grace.”

“…Olivia Brienne.”

Was he at the edge of his patience? His voice dropped to a dangerous low.

The air around us turned oppressive. My skin prickled as if grazed by a sharp blade.

He’s strong. Incredibly strong.

If Lennox maintained even a semblance of courtesy toward others, it wasn’t to win favor.

He simply didn’t need to raise his voice or get angry.

Just like a human wouldn’t care what an ant beneath their feet was doing.

“This game ends here.”

“I’m not joking.”

But precisely because of that, I was certain—I had to hold on to him.

It was a gamble with all my cards laid out, but I had nothing else.

If I lost Lennox, I’d lose my last chance at survival.

I stopped hesitating.

As if it were the most natural thing in the world, I acted on my instinct.

‘…!’

He looked down at the hand I had suddenly grabbed, then looked up again.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

“If you don’t want this, you can let go. Right now.”

“…”

“Anytime you want.”

If Lennox truly didn’t want me to touch him, I wouldn’t have been able to lay a finger on him.

But he did nothing. Just stood still, watching me.

His hand was slightly cooler than mine.

I slowly, very slowly, interlaced my fingers with his—until our hands locked together.

I could feel a faint current of energy flow from my fingertips into him.

“…Haa.”

A soft breath escaped Lennox’s slightly parted lips.

“The noble, sacred duty you bear comes with sacrifice. But if there’s a way to avoid it, why pay that price?”

“…”

“My power can help you.”

“…”

“As an Ephure, I can heal your madness. I swear it.”

All things require courage.

Especially a gamble that risks your life and future.

“So make a deal with me.”

Lennox warned in a low voice.

“I could take your power by force through Baron Brienne.”

“I don’t believe you’d do that to a woman who’s already put her life on the line.”

“What do you think you know about me?”

“I know at least that you’d pay the price for using someone.”

I didn’t miss the subtle shift in his vivid red eyes.

Go on—bring out your scale.

Weigh the profit and loss. See which side benefits you more.

“All I ask for is one condition—safety from the spirits and from other enemies.”

Karinne Brienne.

Though I’d never even seen her face, I feared her.

“I’m not asking you to stay married to me forever. Just until I complete my awakening and heal your madness. That’s all.”

I have to survive.

Until the point when the original story ends—when the final curtain falls.

Until the moment Olivia’s fate of death is averted.

If I could buy just that much time—

“Then our contract will be cleanly settled.”

The moment Lennox’s lips curved in a seductive arc, I felt the certainty of my victory.

“You speak cleverly.”

“Let’s say strategically.”

Finally, the balance of his mental scale shifted.

The long-held equilibrium tipped slightly—

And slowly but surely, it leaned in my favor.

“Let’s correct one thing first.”

Lennox spoke firmly.

“My duty is neither noble nor sacred.”

It was a cynical answer—but we both knew it was as good as an agreement.