Chapter 86: Is the Contract That Important?

He was no longer wearing his mask. His black hair was damp with sweat, and his pale face was flushed red down to his neck.

“Ah, Xavier!”

When my legs gave out and I stumbled, he gently caught me. His hand trembled slightly as he held me and carefully stroked my head.

“Are you going to keep disappearing like this?”

Xavier’s trembling voice softly penetrated my ear.

I must have made him anxious again. I patted his back with both arms wrapped around him.

“I’m sorry.”

“That’s not it… I was worried.”

“……”

“Were you scared?”

“Hic.”

At his gentle question, tears welled up and I could only manage to nod. Soon tears began streaming down and I ended up crying like a child in his arms.

“Shh, it’s okay, Yuria. I’m here now.”

Xavier slowly removed my rabbit mask and dropped it on the ground. Then he kissed my forehead and kept calling my name. While I cried with my face buried in his chest, he continued to comfort my back.

Feeling the sting in my throat, I grabbed his large hand that was caressing my face with both of mine. His deep teal eyes widened.

“Are you alright now?”

“Yes…”

He wiped the tears from my eyes with his fingers and interlocked our hands.

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

“As you can see, I’m fine.”

“Should I carry you?”

“No, I’m better now.”

It was true. Though I was tired, the pain in my feet had completely healed thanks to my holy power.

We slowly made our way out of the alley onto the main street where there were many people. It had already grown dark, and there were fewer people than when we had arrived. Even passersby were sparse.

Walking at my pace, he called out to me softly.

“Yuria.”

“Yes?”

He was looking down at me with complicated eyes.

“There’s something I want to ask right now.”

Xavier’s voice seemed to tremble slightly.

“Go ahead. What is it?”

What could it be that he’s hesitating so much? With eyes like those of a frightened child, he asked me.

“I heard the Crown Prince confessed to you.”

What did I just hear?

“H-how did you…?”

The words got jumbled in my mouth from surprise. Xavier bit his lip and sighed.

“Lucas told me. That he confessed to you.”

“!”

Ah, that Crown Prince!

Why is he telling Xavier about confessing to me?

“Is it true?”

“Ahaha.”

When I laughed awkwardly, his teal pupils narrowed as he stared intently.

“I see it’s true. So what did you say?”

“What do you mean what did I say? Obviously…”

I avoided Xavier’s sharp gaze while trying to read the situation.

‘Surely the Crown Prince didn’t also tell him that I said I love Xavier?’

No way. If that were the case, Xavier wouldn’t be asking like this. I’m not mentally prepared for this yet, what’s going on!

My face instantly grew hot as I lowered my head.

Having the person I like hear about someone else confessing to me made my head spin. My mind went blank and my tongue felt stiff.

“Why aren’t you answering? Are you listening?”

When I glanced up slightly, Xavier’s eyes were deeply sunken. Something like a flash of light seemed to flicker in them.

‘Should I confess my feelings here? Right here?’

“Ah, well…”

As I rolled my eyes around unable to speak easily, Xavier suddenly said,

“Or is it difficult to answer?”

“Yes.”

The truth came out with a sigh.

“Honestly, I was quite taken aback.”

“Then why did you hide the fact that Lucas confessed to you in the first place?”

Xavier’s voice, which had been gentle, became a bit rough. His breathing grew heavy and his face was red.

“I didn’t think it was necessary to tell.”

“I’m your husband, aren’t I? It wasn’t necessary to tell me?”

Finally, an agitated Xavier opened his eyes wide. I could see his lips twitching slightly.

“Xavier, don’t jump to conclusions. I just…!”

“You just?”

Xavier asked back with raised eyebrows.

Because I like you.

Though those words were stuck firmly in my heart, my lips wouldn’t move. Xavier roughly ran his hands through his hair and asked in a broken voice.

“Why can’t you speak since earlier? Do you also li… no, are you going to follow Lucas?”

“What are you saying?”

“Were you excited about Lucas’s confession? Did you think you could just break off this marriage since it’s this kind of relationship anyway and leave?!”

Xavier exploded in front of me, thinking I might break the contract.

“What? Is that all you can say? And is the contract that important right now?”

“It is important.”

He gripped our interlocked hands even tighter.

“……”

“How else can I make sure you won’t leave me?”

With a distorted face, Xavier, no, my contract husband, kindly reminds me of reality. I bit my lips in disbelief.

“Ah, I see. I understand.”

‘So he really doesn’t like me after all.’

I was sad. So sad my heart constricted. How much I worry about you…

Should I confess or not, I think about it dozens of times a day, erase it, bring it back again, and yet!

I knew you didn’t like me, but still!

“What do you understand? Don’t you know how anxious I am?”

“Don’t worry! I rejected him right away!”

Having reached my limit, I ended up shouting.

“Is, is that true?”

“Yes. Are you satisfied now?”

His tense expression melted away instantly like snow. That made me even angrier.

That’s right. We’re in a contract relationship. Even though what he said was correct, it was hard to bear how upset I felt.

‘I don’t know what expression I should make.’

I couldn’t stay with him anymore. Suppressing my hurt feelings, I avoided Xavier’s gaze and looked straight ahead.

I could faintly see the table where we had sat with the others at the end of the street.

I forcefully pulled my hand away and walked in that direction.

“Yuria?”

“I don’t think we need to hold hands anymore since I know the way now.”

Without even looking at him calling after me in confusion, I kept walking while rubbing my arms. Xavier caught up and started apologizing.

“A-are you angry? I’m sorry. I must have lost it after hearing what the Crown Prince said.”

“Why? Why exactly? Afraid I’ll abandon cursed you? We’ve made a contract so that’s enough, let’s stop.”

“Yuria, don’t you know how I feel?”

“No, I don’t. But I clearly know that Crown Prince Lucas likes me.”

“How can you say that? All this time, how much I’ve wanted you!”

Though his hurt expression tugged at my heart, I too was a wounded beast, so even sharper words came out.

“Yes. I know very well. How could I not know when you hold me every night? I’m going first.”

I ran past Xavier who was trying to grab me and headed toward where the table was. I could see Maya running toward me crying.

“My lady!”

“Maya!”

Maya ran up and hugged me tightly.

“I’m sorry for making you worry.”

“It’s okay. You’re back now, that’s what matters.”

Behind Maya, Eaglin, Eli, and Lucas approached silently with worried expressions.

I forced a smile and said to everyone,

“I’m tired so I’ll head back first. Take your time.”

Using fatigue as an excuse, I returned to the lodgings first with Maya in the carriage.

*

“My lady?”

“……”

“My laaaady!”

“Huh?”

I was staring out the window of the luxury inn at the imperial capital streets when I turned to Maya in surprise.

“What are you looking at so seriously? Is there something outside?”

“No.”

I wasn’t looking, I was thinking.

Even though I tried not to think about it, the fight with Xavier kept coming back to torment me.

Thinking about today’s events, it was clear that Xavier didn’t think of me as anything more than a saintess.

Now that I knew Xavier’s true feelings, I could never confess.

“Maya. Have you ever confessed to someone?”

“No?”

Maya turned around from arranging the bedding.

She blinked as if the question was equivalent to asking if she’d ever bought something from a store.

“But I’ve received many confessions.”

“Really? From who?”

“Hmm, there were so many I don’t remember their names. I rejected them all.”

Our Maya was popular?

“Whyyy?”

“Because I didn’t like them. Why are you asking such obvious things?”

“…I see.”

I clenched my fingers.

“Why? Did you receive a confession?”

“No? I asked if you’ve ever confessed, when did I say I received one?”

Maya gave me a side-eye and smirked.

“You receive confessions from the Duke every day, don’t try to hide it.”

Maya finished arranging the bed and bowed to me.

“I’m done with the bedding so I’ll head out now, my lady.”

“Okay, thank you.”

“The Duke should be here soon too.”

“Whatever.”

Maya left the room walking backwards with a meaningful smile. After watching the door close, I leaned back against the window and looked outside again.

Perhaps because it was the top room of the luxury inn, I could see the imperial capital’s night streets well. Under the brightly lit street lamps, people could be seen mingling here and there.

The Rosetta I saw today was real.

But I couldn’t meddle in the love story of the male and female leads.

‘Since I became the saintess… am I the protagonist now, or is it Rosetta?’

Come to think of it, I’m not even sure who the protagonist of this novel is anymore.

Well, what does it matter.

What’s more important than that is the fact that he won’t live long and will die.

I needed to find a way to save Xavier. I had no intention of leaving Xavier until I could break his curse.

‘Though it’s so, so sad that he doesn’t like me.’

After meeting Borgio’s genius magic engineer, I should visit the temple once.

Boom boom bang!

Fireworks shot up into the night sky celebrating the first night of the founding festival. After watching them absentmindedly for a moment, I lay down on one side of the bed before Xavier could arrive.

I decided to try to sleep first since it would be awkward to make eye contact. We couldn’t not share a room since we were officially married.

I wonder if I’ll even be able to fall asleep.

*

“Wow!”

Rosetta’s mouth gaped open at the colorful display of fireworks outside the transparent window of the golden carriage.

“It’s really amazing.”

“Do you like it that much?”

“Yes, Your Highness! I’ve never seen anything like this in my life!”

Rosetta had her forehead pressed against the window, entranced by the lights filling the night sky. Her sparkling black eyes trembled beautifully.

The tiara Arthur gave her glittered above her neatly styled hair. Wearing a pink dress full of lace, Rosetta looked as if she were a princess from some kingdom.

“You’ll see plenty more, Miss Rosetta.”

“Really?”

“Because I’ll make it happen.”

“Oh my.”

Rosetta smiled shyly. Arthur, sitting with his legs elegantly crossed, curved his lips slightly following her.

“You haven’t forgotten what I said? That I’ll put a real crown on your head instead of that tiara.”

“What? Yes.”

Quick to read the mood though she didn’t quite understand, Rosetta placed both hands demurely on her knees and raised her eyes.

“When we get to the imperial palace, I’ll tell you a very interesting story.”

His sticky, secretive voice penetrated Rosetta’s eardrums.

“A story?”

“You can look forward to it. Because you’re the protagonist.”

Looking at Arthur’s golden eyes as they curved into crescents, Rosetta nodded.

“A story where I’m the protagonist… I’m really looking forward to it.”