Chapter 28. A Play on a Sandcastle

The man stared at me in silence for a while. It was a suffocating silence. Unsure whether to continue speaking, I nervously crumpled my hem in my hands and watched his reaction. Unexpectedly, he urged me with a slight smile.

“So?”

“……So, with my foresight magic…… I will monitor Atreos’s movements for a year by Your Highness’s side. Additionally, I can provide other useful information for you.”

“So, you want me to marry you?”

“……Yes. If you hand me over to the Mage’s Tower as is, there’s a high chance I’ll be trapped there forever. Especially since I possess two types of magic, one being future foresight.”

At my words, he laughed derisively and slowly leaned his head toward me. His hot breath brushed my cheek and touched my ear, making my whole body tense up and my vision blur.

“How cute, that you dare to make a deal with me as an equal.”

“……If that’s a compliment, thank you.”

“Even though you’re scared to death, you answer so clearly.”

“……It’s better than not answering, isn’t it?”

At that, the corners of his mouth twisted up. Though I feigned calmness, my heart was pounding madly.

“You said one magic awakened late, and the other was inherited from your birth mother.”

I nodded silently. The breath on my neck was damp and warm, but my body shivered as if thrown into the cold of winter.

“If that’s a lie, I could twist your neck right here, Miss Lopez.”

“……It’s not a lie.”

I exhaled a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. I felt moisture welling up in my eyes. This kind of physiological fear was new to me, and I had no immunity to it. This man really seemed capable of twisting my neck.

“Well, it doesn’t seem like you could steal magic from anyone.”

He laughed softly and slowly moved away from me. Still tense, I glanced up at him. His sharp gaze hadn’t changed, but his expression was slightly less fierce. I felt as if I had passed one of his tests.

“I could tie you to my side for life. Why just a year? Considering the usefulness of your ability, it would benefit me to use you until you die. Isn’t that so?”

“……A year is the limit. My foresight magic…… is like water in a bathtub, not an endless spring. If I keep drawing from it, it will eventually run dry.”

There was no need to mention that the price of foresight was my lifespan. I planned to leave his side before I die in a year. That would slightly alter the future I had seen. In that future, I seemed to be dying by his side.

“You’re not lying, planning to escape from me in a year, are you?”

“How could I dare lie? ……Honestly, it’s impossible even if I wanted to. Not in front of you.”

No ordinary person could withstand such pressure. I added that meaningfully, and he laughed as if he found it amusing. The atmosphere around us felt slightly more relaxed. Though it wasn’t time to let my guard down yet.

“How will you prove to me that your foresight ability is real?”

That question wasn’t difficult to answer. I had anticipated this and prepared in advance. Taking a deep breath, I spoke.

“You’re investing in the Lotery Company, right? You recently increased your investment.”

“……And?”

His sharp gaze pierced me, as if asking how I knew that. But I pretended not to notice. I could explain it all later anyway.

“You should withdraw all that investment within three days.”

“……Oh?”

“In five days, there will be a revelation that the Lotery Company’s perfume contains toxic substances.”

After quickly spitting out my words, I glanced at him. He was scrutinizing me with sharp eyes, trying to determine the truth of my words. Feeling his piercing gaze, I lowered my head slightly and hunched my shoulders. I wanted to sit further away from him, but I had no choice but to wait quietly.

“……I don’t think the Lotery Company will collapse overnight because of a mere perfume issue.”

“No, it will collapse. That perfume is the highest grade supplied to the royal family. Moreover, the scandal will reveal the company’s corruption one by one, like dominoes…….”

“Is that the future you saw?”

“……Yes, it is.”

Gathering my courage, I nodded while meeting his eyes. He stared into my eyes without moving, and I didn’t avoid his gaze.

Sweat beaded on my tightly clenched hands, and my rigid body trembled, but I tried to maintain an honest expression.

How much time had passed?

Enoch Bayern smiled faintly. It was a cold smile, but at least it didn’t carry the same fierce suspicion as before.

“Relax. Do you think I’m going to eat you?”

“……At the very least, you could imprison me or send me to the Mage’s Tower.”

“You knew that, yet you still talk back to me. That’s quite interesting.”

I reminded myself not to let my guard down at his lighter tone. Easing the pressure momentarily to make the other person feel they could relax was a basic interrogation tactic.

“Show me that foresight magic.”

As expected, he wanted to see the foresight magic with his own eyes. I hesitated for a moment, then nodded as if I had no choice. Closing my eyes, I focused my mind.

Sensing the magic within me was no longer difficult. The familiar power surged from a deep place close to my core. I directed that power outward, concentrating it in the air before me.

When I slowly exhaled and opened my eyes, I saw a cluster of dazzling lights. It soon transformed into a flat, oval mirror at my will.

Since I had no intention of looking into the future, the mirror reflected nothing.

“……Is this the foresight magic?”

“Yes. But there has to be a will to see the future for anything to appear on this surface.”

“Show me the foresight.”

At his demand, I lowered my head slightly with a troubled expression. Everything was going according to plan.

“I’m sorry, but it’s impossible right now.”

“……Are you kidding me? You expect me to believe you without showing it directly?”

“I can’t help it. This magic has its limits.”

I retracted the magic. The mirror turned back into a cluster of lights and was sucked back into me. Looking at the man who stared at me in disbelief, I faced him boldly.

“You’ll be able to confirm whether what I said about Lotery is true or not in five days…”

“If it’s that, I can investigate Lotery right away and find out.”

“……The Daily Veritas newspaper, May 3rd, front page of the economic section.”

Enoch Bayern hesitated. I continued my remaining words in a calm tone.

“A revealing article about Lotery will be published. Please don’t forget to check it.”

“…….”

A gaze that seemed to scrutinize me thoroughly was fixed on me. Cold sweat trickled down my back. I instinctively felt that now was the time to end this conversation. There was nothing more to say. Despite my inner fear, I stood up as if nothing was wrong.

“Well then…… please accept this.”

“……What is this?”

“A contract. It contains the details of what I mentioned.”

The man, who received the document from me, glanced at me as if he found it absurd. While he reviewed the document, I stood a good distance away from him. Only then did I feel a bit relieved.

“……I understand everything else.”

As I slowly moved toward the door, the man dropped his gaze from the document and spoke. I did not avoid his gaze and looked directly at him.

“Why do you ask me to love you for a year? Is it simply to test that love magic or whatever?”

“……Perhaps.”

His eyebrows raised at my uncertain answer. This time, I couldn’t help but avoid his gaze. His sharp eyes seemed to uncover something hidden within me that even I didn’t know.

“If it’s made by magic, then it’s fake love. Do you still want it?”

“Even if it’s fake love, it’s fine. Please love me for just one year.”

“Now it seems you want to play with me in exchange for lending me your foresight ability.”

“I’m sorry you feel that way. I don’t have the guts to treat the Grand Duke recklessly.”

“You seem pretty gutsy even now.”

“I’m overwhelmed by your compliments today. Thank you.”

As I bowed my head, the man looked at me with an incredulous expression and let out a small laugh. I took a few more steps back toward the door. I wanted to get out of here before he could grab me again.

“……You look like a deer running away from a hunter, Miss Lopez.”

“……That’s because there’s a hunter in front of me who might shoot at any moment.”

“It’s hard to capture it alive without using a gun.”

“It’s better to keep it alive. For this prey, at least.”

The man, who had been twitching the corners of his mouth, finally burst into laughter. I muttered, ‘Please contact me in five days,’ and after a rough bow, I left the drawing room.

As I hurried through the corridor, I heard a voice calling out to me from behind. Startled, I slowly turned around. My heart was pounding so fast it felt like it would burst.

At the end of my gaze stood that man, Enoch Bayern. When did he stop threatening me like a beast and return to the elegant and graceful figure I always saw in social gatherings?

He smiled and said,

“See you again in five days, Miss Lopez.”

“……Thank you.”

“I am curious about what it would feel like to love you. Though I don’t expect much. Honestly, I think I’ll get tired of it quickly.”

“……That’s how love between men and women usually is.”

“For someone proposing to be loved, you’re not very romantic.”

“It’s not a particularly romantic proposal.”

“Alright, go on.”

Before he could change his mind and take back his laughter, I quickly fled from the spot.

Once I reached the garden and got into the carriage, a sigh of relief escaped me. Not being arrested for illegal possession of dual magic was a significant achievement. And…… I had a positive feeling that he would accept my proposal. Not completely certain, but about 70% sure……

‘I’ll know in five days. Where my fate will lead…….’

Leaning back against the seat of the carriage, I closed my eyes quietly. The dim world became silent, and only the vivid afterimage of his voice lingered in my mind like a revolving lantern.

‘I am curious about what it would feel like to love you. Though I don’t expect much. Honestly, I think I’ll get tired of it quickly.’

I don’t want to know your true feelings. Nor do I want you to know mine.

If you accept the proposal, the year we spend together will be nothing more than a play on a sandcastle.

So just say you were curious.

It was nothing more than simple curiosity—nothing more than that—

I cover the eyes of truth that try to rise.

‘If it’s made by magic, then it’s fake love. Do you still want it?’
‘Even if it’s fake love, it’s fine. Please love me for just one year.’

I have never been loved in my life. So I was curious. What it feels like to be loved.

If this deal goes through, maybe my wish will finally come true. But that doesn’t mean I will be happy.

Whatever blooms between us, it will be nothing more than fake love created by magic.

Five days was not a long time.

The promised day approached swiftly, making the anxious waiting seem pointless.

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