🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 8
“More importantly, there is something urgent we need to discuss.”
Demon changed the subject as if he had no intention of wasting valuable time on pointless conversation.
“I will guide you to the office.”
As Demon led the way, Valentine’s eyes sharpened, glaring at the back of his head.
What is this unpleasant feeling?
Valentine, who had lived his entire life surrounded by hostility, could instinctively distinguish goodwill from malice.
And what Demon was expressing now was clearly hostility.
Does he consider me an enemy just because I mentioned Clarisia’s name? He acts indifferent, yet dislikes other men showing interest in her?
Then he is not truly indifferent to Clarisia. So why is he so cold toward her?
Valentine narrowed his eyes.
Demon was the sole heir of the noble Roshen family, once revered as descendants of divine reincarnation before being nearly wiped out.
The Roshen family had long established itself in the capital, contributing to the empire’s prosperity through their inherited supernatural abilities.
Their abilities were diverse—bringing rain or stopping it, healing people, or even killing them.
Demon’s father, Count Roshen, possessed many such powers.
A skilled knight as well, he led wars against foreign tribes to victory, brought about abundant harvests, and even cured the Emperor’s illness, proving the greatness of his abilities.
Blessings of spirits—or curses of demons.
There were many ways people described the Roshen family’s power, but all of them meant the same thing.
Fear.
The Roshen power was clearly different from imperial magic or the holy power of priests, and the Emperor, fearing it, sought control and order.
Under pressure from both the Emperor and the Church, Count Roshen ultimately decided to seal his ability inside a magical grimoire.
The price was catastrophic.
The Roshen family was expelled from the capital and driven north, to frozen lands beneath the mountain range where foreign tribes lived.
The farmers who had once been saved from famine by Count Roshen were the first to revolt.
“Stop the relocation of the Roshen family!”
“Let’s protect the Roshen family together!”
“Move the Emperor’s palace to the north instead!”
As even the nobles began to waver under public outrage, the Emperor grew frightened.
At that moment, a knight stepped forward to calm the chaos.
It was Duke Rakton.
Rakton went to Count Roshen in the north and openly criticized the Emperor.
“Such a noble man as yourself receiving such barren land—there must be some mistake. I will personally speak to His Majesty and restore the Roshen family’s honor.”
In front of the Count and his people, Rakton swore an oath of chivalry and formed a bond of trust.
And six months later, he led the Count to his death, framing him for treason.
From the very beginning, Rakton had approached the Roshen family with that intention—frequenting their estate to gather intelligence.
Even with their abilities sealed, Count Roshen was still a formidable opponent.
Rakton waited for the right moment, and when he deemed it time, he led his army and attacked Roshen territory.
“Burn everything of Roshen that has conspired with foreign tribes and endangered the Empire!”
The northern lands the Roshen family had built with great effort were trampled by Rakton’s forces, and the nearly completed grand estate was reduced to ashes.
In the midst of that chaos, Count Roshen sacrificed his life to save his son, Demon.
It was a miserable survival. One so cruel it felt like death would have been kinder.
“You must live. Only the living can speak of injustice.”
Afterward, Demon was taken in by Count Craig, who said those words and raised him.
“You say speak of injustice? Who would listen? I will kill them all—Duke Rakton, the Emperor, and even the priests. I will definitely do it.”
Demon originally possessed the ability to control weather.
If his ability had not been sealed in the grimoire, he could have summoned storms to wipe out the imperial palace and Rakton’s domain, striking down the Emperor and Duke Rakton with lightning.
From then on, Demon became obsessed with finding the lost grimoire.
But even if he found it and killed them all, it would not restore the honor of House Roshen.
He trained in magic under Count Craig while plotting revenge and searching for a way to reclaim his family’s name.
In time, he hid his identity and built up his strength, becoming a hunting dog for Duke Rakton.
That was when he met Clarisia, newly come of age.
As the daughter of a steward assisting the ducal household, Clarisia’s gaze lingered on him more and more.
Demon ignored her persistent attention, sometimes even using her when convenient.
Then one day—
“I love you, my lord. Please marry me.”
Clarisia suddenly knelt before him.
“I have no interest in you.”
Demon lifted his teacup, clearly annoyed.
“It doesn’t matter. I love you. I will do anything for you. I will become your hands and feet.”
“And if I want nothing from you?”
At the time, she had been useful in understanding Duke Rakton’s interests, but by then she was no longer needed.
“The young lady Aileen keeps harassing you to marry her. If you use me, you can get rid of her.”
Demon set down his empty cup and stood.
“You and Aileen are equally tiresome. Go back.”
“I would rather die. I’m not just saying that. Young Lord Federick told me to become his mistress. I would rather die than be defiled by him.”
Federick, the Duke’s eldest son, wanted Clarisia?
Then she would soon become his mistress anyway. If that was her fate, it could not be helped.
Still, imagining Federick—so similar to Rakton—abusing her disgusted him.
“If you take me in, I will help you with what you want.”
“With what?”
Demon paused, turning toward her.
“You want to bring down Duke Rakton. You want revenge.”
“I am the Duke’s loyal subordinate. The whole world knows that.”
“In my eyes, you hate him. If you love someone, you can see it. You understand what they truly want.”
“……”
“I will help you. Use me. I’ve worked in the estate since I was young. I am useful.”
Demon gave a cold laugh.
He had already decided she was useless. What could she possibly do now?
Still, he could not let her go knowing what she knew.
He would either kill her to silence her, or ensure she never spoke again—perhaps even keep her on his side forever.
Demon chose the latter. Even he, despite his thirst for revenge, could not bring himself to kill an innocent woman.
He was still a Roshen at heart—unable to commit unjust murder.
“If you truly expect nothing in return from me, then I will consider it.”
At his words, Clarisia bowed in tears.
“I will live like I’m already dead. I will ask for nothing and stay like your shadow. And when the one you truly love appears, I will disappear.”
She crawled on her knees and kissed the back of his hand. Demon did not pull away.
For Demon, who had fought alone with vengeance in his heart, she was simply an unnecessary ally—but still, he could not reject that meaningless kiss.
When news of their marriage spread, Duke Rakton was pleased.
His daughter Aileen had been obsessed with Demon, and this eased his concerns.
“Clarisia has long helped in my household, and you are my loyal subordinate. I cannot ignore your marriage.”
Rakton himself arranged the wedding, held in the ducal estate’s spring garden.
A wedding in the enemy’s home.
Demon, who came late after reviewing account books, regretted his decision the moment he saw Clarisia in a wedding dress.
Why are you so happy knowing this will be a miserable marriage?
Clarisia was radiant, crying tears of joy, and Demon only felt irritation.
After the marriage, he kept his distance. It was a hollow marriage—but that was convenient.
It reassured Rakton and reduced the number of annoying women clinging to him.
And soon, the engagement between Aileen and the Crown Prince was only days away.
A divorce now? If Rakton learned of it, Aileen would likely refuse to proceed with the engagement.
That would only create more trouble.
That was all.
After visiting the hidden trading post in the forest and the remote village, I slept as if unconscious.
When I opened my eyes again, the sun was already setting.
My whole body aches from sleeping so long. Why is divorce this exhausting?
Almost everything was ready now. All that remained was the magic sword.
“Miranda, tell the kitchen to prepare a banquet.”
“Yes, madam.”
After sending Miranda off, I soaked in a warm bath scented with fragrant water.
Middleton’s mild climate meant wildflowers bloomed everywhere.
Many of them had medicinal properties that healed illness or improved skin.
I dried and mixed them into bath additives and cosmetics.
My already smooth skin now glowed like polished marble.
“Madam… have you heard the rumor?”
Anne, assisting me, spoke cautiously, watching my reaction.
“What rumor are you talking about?”
“It’s… that the master has taken a mistress.”
A mistress?
Even in the warm water, my body trembled slightly.
I was planning to divorce him anyway—so why was I angry?
“It’s fine, Anne. I can take a mistress too.”
“W-what?! Madam?!”
“Is it so surprising for noble wives to have mistresses?”
Clarisia was a rare beauty with golden hair and violet eyes.
But as a steward’s daughter, she had hidden her appearance, and after marriage she had withered under Demon’s indifference.
After the divorce… I’ll live freely, indulging in everything I couldn’t before.
Just wait and see.
