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chapter 03
Sherylotte’s body sprang up.
She grabbed the awl she had used to make a magical tool. She hadn’t expected to use it to attack someone.
Her swollen tail bent gracefully to maintain balance. She aimed it through the small gap of a window that was just a span wide. The intruder quickly turned his head.
“Hit.”
It seemed he tried to dodge, but a shallow, unavoidable scratch marred his cheek. The scent was faint. Yet, the injured man pressed his lips together, seemingly irritated even by that faint smell.
A beastman.
Sherylotte, now certain, grabbed the intruder by the collar while he was trapped in her trap, unable to move. True to her agile, catlike nature, she didn’t rely on brute strength but instead exploited his balance, toppling him.
Thud!
With a heavy sound, the intruder’s body collapsed. Sherylotte subdued his limbs and pinned his torso with her weight.
She pulled the intruder’s hood completely off.
Cats are nocturnal. It didn’t take long for her to recognize him.
“…Duke Bascalia.”
Sherylotte’s eyes narrowed. Eonian gasped as if he couldn’t handle it.
Cough, cough. He coughed and asked,
“Well, I guess now you can’t even recognize me at first glance.”
“Did you wear that black cloak for me to recognize you? Though, for that, you did look like a thief.”
“You could’ve guessed by the scent.”
“I don’t even remember what your pheromones smelled like. Besides, aren’t carnivore-born pheromones all the same?”
“Still, back when we were friends, it wasn’t meaningless.”
“…Friends?”
What the hell.
Sherylotte pressed harder on Eonian’s abdomen with her foot. He groaned.
“Ouch… It hurts. Let me go.”
“Why did you come here?”
“….”
Eonian didn’t answer, smiling faintly.
This guy must have deliberately stepped into the trap.
Why isn’t he saying anything?
Sherylotte, a magical tool artisan—or more formally, a master—majored in magical engineering at the academy.
In contrast, Eonian majored in theology. He probably knew nothing about magical tools, but his intuition was so sensitive that he could detect magic easily, so he must have been aware of the magical tools Sherylotte had set up around the inn room.
The fact that he didn’t avoid them and stepped into just one of the traps made him suspicious.
Sherylotte lowered her voice and asked again.
“I’m asking why you approached.”
“….”
“Also, sneaking around like this.”
Ha ha…
Eonian let out a sheepish, empty laugh.
His pale blue eyes rolled toward Sherylotte.
“Sherylotte, can I say something crazy?”
“No.”
“I came to propose to you.”
Sherylotte froze. Eonian continued.
“Ah, of course, it’s not a real proposal. What I’m suggesting is a sham marriage…”
“…Sham?”
“Yes, it’s a contract marriage that ends naturally once the requirements and time are met. By ‘ends’ I mean divorce.”
Eonian pulled out several documents from his coat.
[Mining Rights Purchase Agreement]
[Beltéro Diamond Mine Transfer Contract]
[Northwest Ravillet Forest Land Purchase Agreement]
“If you marry me, I’ll give all this to you.”
“….”
“Just endure it for exactly five years, and I’ll leave Chartreuse on my own.”
It was a sudden proposal for Sherylotte.
The moment he uttered the ridiculous term ‘sham marriage’, she slammed the mental door shut.
Now, only one thought dominated her mind:
‘That bastard, giving me the ring back then was really on purpose.’
So that’s why he wanted to meet later.
“…Hey.”
“Why?”
“Do you want to die?”
Veins bulged on the back of her hand as her eyes widened. Eonian twisted his head away from the hand digging into his shirt collar, but Sherylotte’s anger was immense.
“You bastard, there’s a limit to how much you can underestimate someone.”
She gripped Eonian’s neck.
“Do I look that foolish? Trying to lure someone with money!”
“Wait, it’s not a bad offer for you either, ugh…!”
“Shut up!”
Even though he was weakly choking, her anger flared at his insolent words.
They had grown up like siblings from the moment they first met. To Sherylotte, Eonian was family.
They could have grown up like fraternal twins.
If he hadn’t pretended not to hear her greeting first.
If he hadn’t laughed coldly even when they were alone.
…If only he hadn’t!
Sherylotte ground her teeth and breathed heavily like a snarl.
“It was a miracle you survived at the wedding, yet you waste such a good opportunity like this.”
“…Sheryl.”
“Any last words? I’ll hear them once more.”
“Let’s get married.”
“I didn’t promise to grant wishes.”
“I’m serious!”
Sherylotte’s eyes widened at the sudden loud voice. Silence fell between them. Even Eonian, who had been laughing, pressed his lips together as if he hadn’t realized he would shout.
“…Sorry for raising my voice. But it’s urgent for me too. Didn’t your uncle try to force me into marriage?”
“Oh, now you’re fishing for sympathy votes?”
“Even an abstention vote would do. I really don’t want to.”
“Oh my, spoiled brat. And now whining? Are you crazy?”
Sherylotte sneered at Eonian.
“Hey, we’re adults now. But if you’re a noble, is it so unfair to go along with an arranged marriage? You crawled all the way here just to poke me with a contract marriage proposal?”
The reason he chose her over any other woman was obvious.
She was poor enough to be lured with money but noble enough to be a suitable wife for Duke Bascalia. Among unmarried women, she was the most fitting and easiest target for his contract proposal.
She had heard that the relationship between the Pope and Eonian wasn’t particularly bad.
The lightning intended to strike him from the Pope probably had divine power, so it barely affected him.
Of course, violence must be avoided, but the Pope was simply an older generation figure who believed marriage was essential. The princess he chose, Leonat, was the best option as Eonian’s bride.
In other words, Eonian’s position was far better than hers. That fueled Sherylotte’s sense of inferiority.
“If I were you, I’d just marry. Wasting such a good opportunity just because you don’t want to? Crazy.”
“…Yeah, I guess I am a bit crazy.”
“What?”
“….”
Eonian’s pale eyes glimmered between strands of his messy hair. Taking a deep breath, he changed the subject.
“Yeah, Sherylotte. I know you wouldn’t even want to be friends with someone like me, but just as I might use you, you can use me too. That’s what a marriage conditional on divorce is.”
Eonian grabbed Sherylotte’s clenched fist. Stubbornly resisting, she felt him pry her hand open and slide a contract and a small note inside.
“That’s why I came. Even knowing you’d hate it.”
He whispered,
“We can give each other freedom.”
He released her slightly weakened arm and rubbed his slightly flushed neck with a faint smile.
“If you want to contact me, tear the magic circle drawn on this note.”
“…Do you think this will actually work?”
“Anything could happen.”
Sherylotte glared at Eonian suspiciously. She asked sharply,
“What about your lover?”
“Just a cover story. You know I don’t have anyone like that. Don’t worry.”
“Liar.”
“I swear on my father. There isn’t one.”
Eonian quickly checked his attire and glanced around. Just as he carefully prepared to drop from the window, he looked back at Sherylotte.
“Oh, right. I won’t ignore you anymore.”
“What? Why are you suddenly playing ex-lover? I don’t need that.”
“I mean it. Sorry to convey it this way, but…”
Fully hooded, Eonian glanced at Sherylotte’s hand. His gaze slowly traveled from the tip to meet hers.
“Choose me, Sheryl.”
“….”
“Only I can give you what you want.”
Underlined by the postscript was no warmth, no jest. Just seriousness.
Eonian smiled faintly at Sherylotte, who stared at him silently. Was his gaze bitter, or was it just her imagination?
Finally, Eonian’s body quickly disappeared below. The cool night breeze scattered Sherylotte’s hair.
She stared at the contract like it was an encrypted message, then picked up the small note tucked inside.
Carefully, so as not to tear the crumpled part, she unfolded the paper.
[132, 219, -140]
“…What is this now?”
