It was only a fleeting smile.

It disappeared almost as soon as it appeared.

And yet, Lianna saw it clearly.

The corners of his lips had softened ever so slightly, and his sharp eyes had curved into a faint crescent.

For some reason, she suddenly found herself thinking that it would be nice if he smiled like that more often.

As though sensing her unwavering gaze, Calix slowly took another drag from his cigar.

Lianna quickly looked away for no reason at all.

Like someone who had been caught secretly staring.

While her eyes wandered awkwardly, his voice broke the silence.

“So. What was it you wanted to say?”

“Ah… right.”

That was true.

Had she come here to tell him something important?

Lianna suddenly remembered her original purpose and spoke quietly.

“I wanted to thank you for saving both me and my brother.”

Earlier, everything had happened so suddenly that Lianna hadn’t had the chance to thank him properly.

Even though it was late, she still felt the need to express her gratitude sincerely.

If Calix hadn’t appeared when he did, she would undoubtedly have been sold off somewhere, and Joel would have been murdered by the bandits.

The only reason that didn’t happen was because of him.

“I only saved you because it was necessary. There’s no need to thank me.”

No matter how many times she tried, Calix indifferently dismissed her efforts, as though they held no meaning whatsoever.

Then, in that same detached voice, he said something entirely unexpected.

“Because it would be troublesome if you died.”

Lianna’s violet eyes blinked slowly.

Thin cigar smoke drifted lazily through the still air.

Beyond that, she could make out the calm expression on the man’s face.

“What do you mean… it would be troublesome if I died?”

Confused by the strange statement, Lianna asked cautiously.

Calix answered in an even tone, as though her surprise made no sense at all.

“I mean exactly what I said. I need you.”

“……”

It was far too dry and emotionless to be a confession of love.

Besides which, there was no way this man would ever say something so romantic to her.

Moreover, Lianna could not fathom why he was being so evasive.

From the outset, he had only been interested in her body.

Ultimately, wasn’t that all she was useful for?

“Do you mean… you want to sleep with me again? Like before?”

She expected an immediate answer.

But, surprisingly, Calix remained silent.

If the Grand Duke was determined to take her, she would be powerless to resist.

She could never hope to overpower him.

All she could do was hope that he wouldn’t be cruel enough to force her.

Just as that thought crossed her mind—

“Well, that wouldn’t exactly be wrong.”

Calix let out a quiet chuckle.

After slowly exhaling a long stream of smoke, he flicked the fully burned cigar into the ashtray.

Then he rose from the chair on which he had been reclining lazily.

A large shadow fell over Lianna.

She looked up at him and instantly felt a sense of tension seize her.

His golden eyes seemed to burn with heat.

Only then did she realize how foolish it had been to speak to him so casually just moments ago.

But by then, it was already too late.

“Ah…!”

Suddenly, Calix grabbed her arm and pulled her sharply to her feet.

A strong arm immediately wrapped tightly around her waist.

The moment he drew her firmly against him, the space between them disappeared.

Lianna found herself instantly trapped in Calix’s embrace.

She could feel something thick and solid pressing heavily against her thigh.

Even through the layers of fabric between them, his arousal was impossible to ignore.

She pushed against him with all her might, but it was as if she were trying to move a massive boulder.

Calix did not budge at all.

“L-Let me go.”

As she struggled weakly, Calix abruptly caught her wrist, as though her futile resistance amused him.

“When you enter a man’s room this late at night…”

Calix advanced and pushed her back.

Lianna retreated instinctively.

Before she knew it, she had backed into the wall with a dull thud.

Trapped with nowhere left to go, she trembled helplessly.

Calix calmly observed her reaction, then curled his lips into a faint smile.

“You should’ve expected this might happen. Don’t you think?”

Lianna bit down hard on her lower lip.

She had been careless.

There was no excuse for entering a man’s room without exercising the slightest bit of caution.

But she had her reasons, too.

This man had saved Joel’s life.

All she wanted was to thank him properly.

Because of that, she had forgotten, she had forgotten that he desired her.

Pressing both hands against his broad chest in an attempt to push him away, Lianna finally spoke.

“Our transaction is already over. There’s no reason for me to sleep with you anymore.”

She tried to sound firm. But fear crept into the end of her words at the thought that the Grand Duke might force himself on her anyway.

“Ah, the transaction.”

Calix repeated her words lazily.

As though he had completely forgotten he had once purchased her virginity and only just remembered now.

“So you want to keep our accounts perfectly clear?”

Lianna stared up at him, unable to move.

She wanted to escape, to run away anywhere, but she couldn’t.

Helplessness consumed her and, shamefully, she could feel her voice quivering with tears.

“That’s exactly what I mean. So please… let go of me now.”

“And if I don’t want to?”

Calix let out a soft laugh and lowered his head.

His warm breath brushed against the back of her neck.

A shiver ran through her body and the hairs on her arms stood on end.

Suddenly, memories of that night resurfaced.

The unfamiliar pleasure that had completely unraveled her.

The burning heat of his body moving inside her.

Would the same thing happen again?

Her entire body stiffened with tension.

She knew nothing about men anymore. But could she truly claim to understand anything at all after only one experience?

Above all, she did not think she could bear to let this man near her again.

With tear-filled eyes, she looked up at Calix.

Trying to escape him by force had been impossible from the outset.

And no one would come to save her.

If the Grand Duke wanted a commoner, who would dare stand in his way?

Even if someone did, their head would likely be rolling across the ground by sunrise.

Helplessly trembling like prey trapped with nowhere left to run, she suddenly felt the hand gripping her wrist release her.

“You’re right. The transaction is over.”

The man who had been holding her so tightly suddenly loosened his grip.

He moved back, poised like a predator ready to sink its fangs into its prey’s throat.

Everything about him exuded effortless ease, as though he could seize her again at any moment.

“So how about making a new deal instead?”

Trying to calm her racing heartbeat, Lianna asked.

“A deal…? What do you mean by that?”

“Exactly what I said. It wouldn’t be a losing deal for you either.”

Without hesitating, Calix released Lianna and strode back to the table.

After wetting his lips with brandy, he took something out of his coat and handed it to her.

It was a ring engraved with the royal eagle crest.

Even Lianna, who was ignorant of noble society, recognized the symbol of the royal family of the Gloucester Kingdom.

“It’s a ring given only to members of the royal family.”

Even after Calix had explained everything, Lianna still didn’t understand.

Why was he giving her this ring?

The only way for a commoner like her to wear a ring like this would be to become part of the royal family herself.

To achieve that, she would have to marry someone who was a direct descendant of royalty.

That should have been utterly impossible.

The moment this thought crossed her mind, Lianna unconsciously sucked in a sharp breath.

Even when faced with her wide, shocked violet eyes, Calix remained perfectly calm.

As Lianna silently denied the impossibility of it all, Calix mercilessly confirmed it for her.

“I’m asking you to marry me.”

For a moment, it felt as though her mind had stopped working altogether.

Lianna blinked slowly, unsure whether she had heard him correctly.

Once she realized that it was neither a misunderstanding nor an illusion, she was overwhelmed by disbelief.

“That’s absurd. Why would Your Highness ever take someone like me as your wife?”

Her voice quavered with shock as she took a step back from him.

Her large violet eyes shook violently.

Seeing this, Calix let out a hollow laugh.

Anyone watching would have thought he had proposed kidnapping or imprisoning her, not marriage.

“And why is it absurd?”

“…..”

“At the very least, it’s true that I’m interested in your body.”

Lianna was speechless.

She couldn’t think of anything to say.

Memories of that night flooded back, making her shudder.

Calix watched her reaction with amusement before speaking lazily.

“Do you need proof? I can provide it if you want.”

“!”

Lianna shook her head fiercely.

The mere thought of him inside her again sent shivers down her spine.

At least back then, she had had a clear reason for sleeping with him.

Now, she had no reason to do such a thing.

Marriage, even less so.

“I know it’s an unforgivable insult for someone as insignificant as me to refuse Your Highness’s command.”

“But I cannot accept that proposal.”

“And you’re rejecting me before even hearing what I intend to offer in return?”

Calix wasn’t just offering her the position of Grand Duchess.

He was offering her something more.

However, as long as she did not understand his reasons for proposing marriage, she wanted no closer relationship with him.

The Grand Duke was a man surrounded by enemies.

All Lianna wanted was to live a quiet, ordinary life with Joel once he had recovered from his illness.

Nothing more.

“There’s nothing I want from Your Highness. Nothing at all.”

The refusal was quiet but firm.

Lianna carefully replaced the royal ring on the table, then bowed deeply towards Calix.

She politely asked for permission to leave, but Calix did not respond.

Ultimately, Lianna decided to risk appearing rude.

Calix silently watched her retreating back.

“It’ll cost a great deal to treat your brother.”

The sudden words stopped her in her tracks.

Lianna bit her lip hard as she turned toward the man who made no effort to hide that he had investigated her.

“As for money… Your Highness has already paid enough.”

Although Count Chester had given her the pouch of gold, it was ultimately Calix’s money.

Lianna bowed respectfully once more.

Even as she left the room, Calix did not stop her.

Yet she could still feel his gaze lingering on her back as she hurried down the corridor.

He was far too much for her to handle.

In more ways than one.