Chapter 09

“…Pardon?”

“What exactly is this clause?”

Edward’s beautiful eyes narrowed in mild dissatisfaction.

The smile on his face remained, but now it carried the unmistakable hint of a sulk.

Even when he’s frowning, he’s ridiculously handsome.

Instead of making her heart flutter, though…

Lucy desperately wanted to slip out of his grasp.

To everyone else, his face was worthy of worship, admiration, and praise.

But Lucy knew what kind of person he really was.

To her, Edward’s beauty was no different from a ticking time bomb.

Edward could feel the tense shoulders tucked against his chest.

Looking down at her, he wore an expression that practically said,

Well, well.

This woman is obviously in love with me.

I thought all I’d have to do was smile at her like this…

…and she’d tear up that troublesome contract herself.

He hadn’t expected her to hand him a contract in the first place.

He’d assumed that if he simply coaxed her a little and fed her well, she’d obediently follow him.

Yet here she was, making things complicated with legal documents.

She’s smarter than I expected.

Even after falling for him, she had managed to keep her reason.

That alone deserved some recognition.

Edward wasn’t unaware that, although Lucy owed him her life…

He was the one who would lose more if she walked away.

Even if he imprisoned her by force…

If Lucy refused to purify him, he would be the only one at a disadvantage.

That was why, instead of intimidating her, he’d intended to gently persuade her to tear up the contract.

I can’t believe that isn’t working.

Normally…

Things never went this way.

A simple smile from him was enough to leave people feeling honored, and they’d willingly do exactly as he wanted.

But this tiny mouse…

Her large round eyes darted nervously around.

Anyone could tell she was uncomfortable.

Uncomfortable?

She’s nervous around me?

I’m this handsome, and I’m even putting my arm around her.

Even though she’s already fallen for me?

He didn’t like that one bit.

Shouldn’t someone be delighted if the person they loved treated them this way?

In reality…

Edward himself was the one enjoying their physical contact.

Yet somehow, he regarded it as a favor he was granting her.

After all, countless people—regardless of gender—had risked everything just for the chance to be embraced by him.

Even as he felt mildly offended…

The refreshing sensation flowing from their touching shoulders brushed away the corruption clouding his mind.

It felt as though the impurity inside him was settling.

Just touching her has this much effect.

Then what would actual purification feel like?

And yet she wants to limit it to holding hands once a week?

There was no way he’d ever be satisfied with purification like that.

Without realizing it…

Edward looked down at Lucy with the eyes of a predator.

Feeling an inexplicable chill, Lucy cautiously asked,

“…Which part don’t you like?”

“Are you joking?”

“No!”

“I’m completely serious!”

As far as Lucy knew…

Edward was an incredibly powerful Dragon Incarnate.

The male lead is the world’s only Dragon Incarnate.

There’s no way he’d be weak.

She wasn’t wrong.

What Lucy didn’t know was that the berserk episode he’d nearly suffered recently…

Would have long since destroyed the world if anyone else had experienced it.

Still…

Once a week should be more than enough.

“…I thought it would be better to minimize physical contact…”

“Better?”

Lucy nodded earnestly.

Sure, this is technically an R-rated world where purification happens through intimate physical contact…

But there was absolutely no way—

Never.

Not even if the sky split in two.

Not even if Edward somehow became incapable of having children.

Would Lucy ever willingly climb into Edward’s bed.

To begin with…

Edward had hated every purification session he’d shared with Sepina.

Why would things be any different with her?

Besides…

In dark romance novels like this…

Women who slept with the male lead instead of the heroine…

At best…

Only existed until he realized,

“The woman I truly want isn’t her.”

Then they disappeared.

Sepina herself had met a cruel end.

After all…

She had impersonated the true destined companion and even murdered the real one.

Lucy had no intention of following the same path.

I refuse to die as some disposable obstacle that only strengthens the romance between the hero and heroine.

If she’d at least reincarnated as a villainess…

She’d probably have inherited a fortune.

Instead…

Lucy was nothing more than a penniless escapee who had only just fled imprisonment.

Besides…

Even if Edward received all the purification in the world…

“Ahem!”

There’s no need to reveal how much I know just yet.

Lucy quickly changed tactics.

“Haha…”

“I happened to overhear a few things while I was at the Temple.”

“Such as?”

“That even during your purification sessions with Lady Sepina…”

“You secretly hated every moment and simply endured them.”

“I see.”

“It seemed you disliked… the methods required for purification.”

“So I thought limiting both the frequency and physical contact would—”

“I hated it…”

Edward repeated with the same smiling face.

“So the Temple knew all along.”

“And still forced me to do it.”

His crimson eyes turned frighteningly cold.

Lucy shivered.

At the same time…

She silently offered the Temple her condolences.

Not that I feel sorry for them.

Good riddance.

Anyone who kidnapped children and treated them as disposable tools deserved to collapse.

“So.”

“You knew all that as well…”

“And still cooperated?”

Lucy felt wronged.

“I was a test subject!”

“I was forced!”

“If you knew I hated it…”

“Then you must have been rather close to the Temple.”

“I didn’t hear it from them directly!”

“I felt your emotions myself!”

“…What?”

She wasn’t making it up.

Whenever Sepina purified Edward…

Lucy’s body reacted as well.

Well…

Only my hands did.

Her palms would grow unbearably hot.

Then…

Something like countless tiny needles would stab into them.

The sensation had never resembled affection.

It had been hatred.

Disgust.

Rage.

That feeling must have come from the Duke.

Just remembering the murderous aura made cold sweat run down her neck.

“You felt it?”

Hearing his question only made her feel even colder.

Wait…

I basically just admitted that I could feel his emotions whenever he underwent purification.

Doesn’t that sound like I secretly peeked into his private moments?

Even Lucy thought that sounded awful.

Sweat trickled down her back.

Her confidence instantly evaporated.

“Well…”

Edward continued looking down at her with obvious amusement.

His eyes remained icy.

Only his lips smiled.

“How much?”

“……”

“How much did you feel?”

As he spoke…

His fingers slowly brushed along Lucy’s forearm.

As though measuring exactly how deeply she’d intruded into his privacy.

“Hic!”

She let out an involuntary squeak.

Feeling her life in danger…

Lucy squeezed her eyes shut and shouted,

“N-Not much!”

“No?”

“Haha…”

“Other than realizing Your Grace is… incredibly skilled…”

I mean…

How skilled would someone have to be for my hands to get that hot…?

Lucy’s hands had been directly connected to the chains that drained away her holy power.

Naturally…

Edward and Sepina’s intimate encounters had been vividly transmitted to her.

If that sensation had spread through her entire body instead…

Ugh…

Lucy turned pale.

Then—

“Hah.”

A low, refreshing laugh escaped Edward.

Startled, Lucy looked up.

“Haha…”

“Hahaha!”

What…?

The Dragon Incarnate…

Was laughing.

Not the seductive smile he’d worn all this time.

Not his cruel grin.

But a bright, genuine laugh.

Almost like an ordinary young man enjoying himself.

What’s happening now?

Anyone else would have fallen for him on the spot.

Lucy, however…

Only felt as though she’d pressed the button on a ticking bomb.

Terrifying!

While Lucy was busy having the fright of her life…

Edward finally stopped laughing and tilted his head.

“You really are naughty.”

The accusation immediately made her feel wronged again.

“N-No, that’s not what I meant!”

“And yet…”

“You still wrote such restrained terms into the contract?”

“That’s because—!”

“Why not simply increase both the frequency…”

“And the level of contact?”

“……”

“I might even agree.”

Edward meant every word.

With Sepina…

Holding hands had always been the absolute limit.

Even then…

All he’d imagined was biting the back of her hand instead of kissing it.

But Lucy had called him skilled?

Does she know what she’s saying…?

Her half-informed innocence almost made him laugh again.

He actually found himself wanting to teach her what real skill looked like.

With this woman.

Kissing the back of her hand…

Didn’t sound unpleasant at all.

Perhaps…

Even kissing her cheek would be acceptable.

After all…

The faint imprint of House Tesseron’s crest still remained there.

For some reason…

He found himself wanting to bite it.

She’s already fallen for me.

The least I can do is indulge her a little.

But Edward’s perfectly sincere suggestion…

Sounded entirely different to Lucy.

Is this a trap?

Because of her firm belief that Edward would never ask anyone except the heroine for more purification…

She assumed he was testing her.

If she answered carelessly…

She could easily lose her head.

Hiding what she knew suddenly seemed pointless.

Lucy gave an awkward laugh.

“Oh, come on.”

“I know you don’t really mean that.”

“Why?”

“Because increasing the number of purification sessions wouldn’t help you anyway.”

“It wouldn’t?”

“No.”

“Because…”

Rustle.

Just as Lucy was about to continue…

Tepe and Gorgo quietly returned with the food they’d gathered.

As usual…

They approached so silently that no one noticed them.

Completely unaware of their presence…

Lucy confidently declared,

“Because, Your Grace…”

“You’re still an incomplete Dragon Incarnate.”

Shing!

“Aah!”

The instant the words left her mouth—

A drawn sword flashed toward Lucy.