MB~13

Chapter 13

Helios was still breathing heavily, panting.

“Look here.”

Without hesitation, I interlocked my fingers with his.

I knew he found comfort in holding hands like this.

“I don’t like it when anyone other than Noona touches my body.”

A moment later.

Helios, now calmed down, muttered sulkily.

At that, I gestured to the frozen tailor to leave.

“I see. Then should I take your measurements myself?”

I already knew how to measure. I had watched tailors do it when fitting my dresses.

“…Yeah.”

“Alright. Can you spread your arms?”

What is this? He feels like a child today.

I had no idea Helios had this side of him…

Of course, getting measured wasn’t exactly a pleasant process, but it was something nobles simply did. Like etiquette, it had to become second nature.

“I’ll measure your arm length too.”

“Is it always… like this?”

“Hm? Like what?”

When I asked back in confusion, Helios shook his head.

But the tips of his ears were slightly red.

While I was busy measuring and recording with a quill, I noticed his reaction a little late and opened my mouth slightly.

“Does it tickle?”

“…A little.”

How cute.

The thought almost slipped out loud, so I quickly pressed my lips shut.

If I said he was cute, he might get offended.

“You’ll be getting your clothes tailored often from now on. What will you do if you dislike other people’s touch so much?”

Instead, I smiled gently as I finished measuring his waist.

But then—

Helios grabbed my hand.

“You’ll always be there, so what’s the problem, Vili?”

“Eh?”

I couldn’t see his face.

He rested his chin on my shoulder and whispered softly.

“We’re married, after all.”

“!”

“Aren’t we?”

Married.

A word I hadn’t truly registered before now suddenly felt like a trap tightening around me.

For a moment, I held my breath and couldn’t answer. Helios gently pressed again.

“Answer me, Vili.”

“…We are. Married.”

Ah. This kid… how is he taller than me now?

Only a few seconds ago I thought he seemed like a child, but now he felt completely different.

“It was a bit of a forced marriage, to be honest.”

“Yeah.”

“But I consider you my wife. As long as there’s a marriage document signed, I’ll treat you well.”

“….”

Well.

If he truly meant that, it would be nice.

I slipped out of his arms and avoided his gaze while rolling up the measuring tape.

Has his increased physical contact lately also been the effect of Domestiquer?

Our relationship was already very different from what the novel described.

Different—but…

For some reason, the back of my neck felt cold again today.

“Helios, hey.”

“Yeah?”

“If someone offered to adopt you… would you want it?”

I asked because there was a reason.

Duke Aesical—the man who would later recognize Helios’s talent and propose making him his successor—would be attending the New Year’s ceremony.

This sinking ship is full of parasites.

The viscount, Richard, Amon… all of them were like leeches to me.

In truth, I wanted to expose the Sachet family at this ceremony.

While I was still young—before I was deeply involved in the family business—I wanted to prove my innocence and bring down the house using the counterfeit money case, then escape.

But Richard would cling to me like a drowning man dragging others down with him, even if it meant dying together. Amon also knew my value.

They would never let me escape so easily.

So I need a lifeline. A powerful backing. Someone in authority who can protect me until I become an adult and can defend myself.

No matter how I calculated it, there was only one rope I could grab.

Duke Aesical.

But there was no reason someone like him would become my guardian.

The head of the southern noble faction, Aesical of magic.

A duke house whose emblem was a white staff with a hanging lantern, ruled by a transcendent being beyond humanity.

The great mage Aragon Maret Aesical.

He had remained young and powerful through three emperors.

He had no wife, no children, and no heir. Rumors said he had no intention of marrying.

Well… from his perspective, everyone must look like children.

According to the book, Aesical adopted Helios to pass on the family before his death.

But something felt strange.

Aesical was a magical noble house led by a mage.

But Helios wasn’t a mage.

Even in the novel, Helios was described as a swordsman.

So why did he choose Helios as his successor?

My gaze drifted to Helios’s hands.

They were spotless—no calluses, no scars. Hands that looked like they had never done hard labor.

Hands more suited to holding a mage’s staff than a sword.

“Hmm, I don’t know. My family is you, Vili.”

Helios answered softly.

“As I said, I’ll stay with you. We’re married.”

“!”

“And if I’m ever adopted, you’ll come with me, right?”

That was the answer I wanted.

Whether it was sincere or just the effect of the perfume, it didn’t matter.

As long as I got what I wanted.

I silently prayed to escape this miserable family.

Creeeeak.

D-18 until the New Year’s Ceremony.

Life in the Sachet mansion continued.

Today, for the first time in a while, the “family” gathered—excluding Amon.

“The night falls, the sun disappears, and silver moonlight sparkles. The most beautiful moments in life vanish like a dance!”

Creeeak.

The reception room on the first floor, used only when guests arrived.

The viscount sat in the seat of honor on a deep navy sofa.

To his right were Richard, looking bored, and Blain, watching me with fox-like eyes.

To his left sat Helios, properly dressed in formal attire with a tie. He looked uncomfortable, but still sat upright and composed.

In fact, among everyone staring at me, he had the best posture.

Richard, sitting with his legs sprawled like he grew up in a stable, is the real disgrace.

Helios, on the other hand, looked like he had been born into a ducal house.

“Life’s brilliant stage ends, and the curtain falls. Our play is over. A friend’s tears already flow over our grave.”

Creeeak.

It was poetry recitation time.

Every time Richard came home, I had to do this humiliating performance.

A display meant to please the men of the house.

“The gentle wind of death will soon blow to me. I will complete my pilgrimage of life and go to the land of rest.”

My voice was like a nightingale.

Soft, gentle.

Designed to make the listeners feel pleasant.

After finishing, the viscount applauded.

“Well done. You memorized everything.”

“Yes, Father. I’m happy if Father is pleased.”

As if.

I smiled anyway.

Creeeak.

“You’re useless at everything else, so at least be good at reciting poetry. Don’t you think?”

That was Richard.

Blain, sitting with his legs crossed and chin resting on his hand, glanced at him.

He looked displeased.

He always called me a doll and looked down on me too—but the hypocrisy was amusing.

If I could make that brat kneel under me, life would be so much easier.

But I had already made a promise. No choice but to find another way besides Domestiquer.

Or maybe I should go down to the underground again.

The problem was my body.

Even after drinking recovery potions, my health wasn’t great. By the time I recovered, I would make another perfume, then recover again, then make another…

Perhaps because I had made three bottles this time, I often felt dizzy even while doing nothing.

Or maybe splitting the recovery potion reduced its effect.

If I get another chance, I want to make a third perfume. Something for emergencies.

Creeeeak—

That sound again.

Somewhere, something kept creaking in an increasingly chaotic rhythm…

Creeeeeeak!

“!!!”

In that instant, I looked up.

A chandelier was falling directly toward me.

My pale face reflected in hundreds of crystals, as if I were about to faint from shock.

“Vilette—!”

At the same time, Blain’s shout echoed in my mind.