Chapter 10
The Contract
“Please, have some.”
“…Thank you.”
Acell took the teacup with an awkward look. Hot steam rose from the freshly brewed tea.
We were sitting in the temple garden—though calling it that was generous. It was more like a graveyard of dead, overgrown roots.
Other than the room where Seraphina stayed, there was no indoor space fit for humans to inhabit, so this was our only choice.
That was how I managed to secure a rare chance to speak privately with Acell.
As a member of the imperial family, he had been forced to live a model life for everyone to emulate.
So when he’d grabbed someone by the collar and said, “I couldn’t help myself because I kept thinking of you,”—it was an act that could never be excused for someone like him.
Embarrassed by his own behavior, Acell had agreed to nearly all my requests, as long as they weren’t unreasonable. That’s why I could meet him alone like this.
And through that conversation, I finally learned what had happened.
“So, you went to the Marquis’s estate?”
“Yes. I thought it best to strike as soon as possible before they could destroy any evidence.”
So the one who got his memories back… was Gepetto?
Of all people, why him?
Even if Laura’s infamy had dulled a bit, Gepetto was a scoundrel through and through. Even if he tried to speak in my defense, no one would believe him—unless I used him to stir public sentiment by beating him half to death, maybe.
I had even asked Ludina for a spoiler once, because I wanted to know whose memories had returned completely.
But—
“That would be leaking the secrets of heaven,” she’d said, giving me a bunch of useless nonsense.
So I’d stopped caring. From the way things were unfolding, I didn’t even need to know anymore.
Whoever it was wouldn’t be of any help to me anyway.
“…So, I wanted to ask,” Acell said finally, after what looked like a long internal debate. He gazed into the distance, voice quiet and unsure.
“Were we… lovers?”
“What do you think, Your Highness?”
“To be honest… I don’t think so.”
“Then I suppose we weren’t.”
And he was right.
More precisely, I was the only one who’d ever leaned on him.
Because I melted under that kindness.
He was the one who had reached out to me when I was lost and lonely after falling into this world. He had comforted me gently, as though by accident, and once it was all over, he had acted as if nothing had happened.
I had leaned on his steadiness to pull myself back together—but it was all one-sided. That wasn’t love.
“I didn’t even know a place like this existed,” he murmured, glancing around at the relics of a once-flourishing faith. “Nor did I realize this god you call Ludina truly existed, until you told me.”
He looked back at me. “You could’ve stayed hidden here, buying time. Why call for me?”
“Because I wanted to make you an offer.”
I drew a slow breath.
I had done this once before—two years ago.
Every word, every breath I took next would matter.
“I know what Your Highness truly wishes for.”
Something I’d only realized after reading the story as text—Acell’s real wish.
“You want to uncover the truth behind the Empress’s disappearance.”
When Acell was young, the Empress had vanished from the Imperial Palace.
No one knew if it was a kidnapping or a self-imposed exile. The Emperor had initially tried to find her, but when evidence surfaced that she had planned a rebellion, he stopped the search.
Because if she were alive, he’d have to depose or execute her himself—and her son, Acell, would become the son of a traitor.
By declaring her missing instead, the Emperor avoided that—protecting Acell, if nothing else.
Still, Acell had grown up wanting to find his mother. One reason he sought the throne wasn’t just to survive, but to gain the power to uncover her fate.
At the top, he’d have all the resources he needed.
“I can help you, Your Highness.”
In the original story, Acell never found his mother—because everyone connected to her had died.
When the Marquis turned into a monster and rampaged through the palace, the Empress perished among the victims.
But in this world, she was still alive—confined, yes, but alive. Which meant there were still clues to follow.
“What power could you possibly have to help me?”
“Oh my, have you already forgotten who I am?”
Sirin and I had a long-standing bond. Because Laura’s innate affinity with spirits was high, I could summon Sirin even without a formal ritual.
A tiny warbler appeared, flitting around me and Acell in a swirl of breeze.
“Greetings, ladies and gentlemen! Did someone call for me? The one and only super-genius, ultra-efficient, brilliant spirit Sirin—oh, wait—mmph!”
I caught her beak before she could ramble.
“As you can see, I’m a spiritist, and my spirit Sirin can collect every sound within a 500-meter radius.”
“I’m a top-class eavesdropper!” she added proudly once I let her go.
“How else do you think I managed to obtain the Marquis’s confidential documents?” I said.
“…Fair point.”
Acell nodded slightly, then looked back at me.
“But wasn’t there another one? Something dark…?”
He meant Akaphilache.
“Akaphilache can move through shadows, melting into them. That means he can track a marked target anywhere. But I can’t summon him for now. He used too much power saving me in that cave.”
“Weaker than I thought,” he murmured.
Actually, he had restrained the demonized Marquis single-handedly, but I just laughed it off.
Better to let Acell think I was a manageable, harmless ally.
“Also, Princess Marienne is now in the Imperial Palace, isn’t she?” I continued.
He glanced up, wary. I pressed on, helping him make the decision easier.
“It’s obvious what she’s thinking. She sees distance between us and assumes she has a chance to step in.”
“But,” I added, “if I solidify my position as your fiancée, she won’t dare. Nor will any other noble ladies with similar ideas.”
And, as a bonus—
“It’ll also stop the Grand Duke from interfering in government under the pretext that the Imperial household lacks a mistress. You’ve always been wary of him, haven’t you?”
Acell’s intuition about the Grand Duke was uncanny. Even though the man hadn’t yet done anything suspicious—at least, not until the side stories—Acell had always distrusted him.
“So please, Your Highness—use me as your tool.”
“…”
“And when you no longer need me, cast me aside.”
After all, when the time came, he could simply replace me with the person he truly wanted by his side. He’d lose nothing.
“That’s quite a one-sided bargain,” he said quietly. “Why go so far?”
“Isn’t it obvious? I’m begging for my life.”
His eyes narrowed.
“Please,” I whispered, “let me live.”
I meant it.
Pride didn’t matter. As long as I could keep breathing, there would always be another chance.
This had been my plan from the start—since the day I sent those confidential documents to the palace. I wanted to prove I was useful, to buy time as Acell’s fiancée.
To reach that “turning point,” I needed influence in this world—and that meant standing at the center of power.
“But what if,” Acell said slowly, “you go back on your word? How can I trust you’ll agree to end our engagement when all this is over? From your standpoint, staying married to me would be better for your future. You’ve already been disowned by your family, haven’t you?”
“Perhaps,” I admitted. “But you’ll have to trust me. Because…”
At that moment, a tiny pair of feet came pattering toward us. I bent down and lifted the small body into my arms.
“Mommy!”
Seraphina giggled, clutching at my clothes, delighted by her higher vantage point.
“As you can see,” I said mildly, “I have this to look after.”
Acell’s gaze dropped to the child. For a long time, he just stared, lips parting with difficulty as if to form a word—
“You’re not going to claim that I’m—”
“You’re out!”
Seraphina pointed straight at him and shouted, “Daddy, out!”
“See?” I smiled serenely. “No need to worry about that.”
Acell was silent for a very long time.
Acell sat in his office.
His lips were pressed into a hard line, his eyes fixed on a document—but his hands hadn’t moved in a while.
“Did the conversation not go well, Your Highness?”
Angel hadn’t been present during the private meeting between Acell and Laura, so he had no idea what they had discussed. But seeing his master like this, he couldn’t help but worry.
What nonsense did that woman spew this time to cloud his mind?
Laura had always been a thorn in Acell’s side.
She only ever sought him out when she’d caused trouble or wanted something. Naturally, as the one who always had to clean up after her, Angel had no fondness for her at all.
“No… that’s not it,” Acell said at last, shaking his head.
“If anything… she only spoke of good things.”
It was almost suspicious—how calm, composed, and logical Laura had been, even proposing a deal.
To be honest, he’d been tempted.
Her abilities could indeed prove useful to him.
…and keeping the engagement, for now, wouldn’t be that difficult either.
As long as she doesn’t cause any more chaos, he thought wryly.
Still, something didn’t add up.
Has it really been four years since our engagement?
He realized there were gaps in his memories—blanks he couldn’t explain. He didn’t know what exactly was missing, but he had a feeling it had something to do with Laura.
And the child she was holding looked about two or three years old.
He couldn’t help but wonder.
Was there really nothing between us?
Were they truly only bound by blackmail and mutual convenience?
Then why—
Why does that child feel so familiar?
