Chapter 86. The Black Swamp

Why am I so angry?

Enoch clenched his fist tightly on the bed sheet.

He knew he was being irrational and childish.

A hug was nothing significant. In some countries, it was a common form of greeting.

Especially if it was to comfort someone who had lost a loved one.

Even if the person was a stranger, a hug could be given easily.

So there was no reason to be so furious.

But he was angry.

The moment he saw Ellen in that pretty boy’s arms, hot blood surged through him.

It took extreme self-control not to punch that pale face.

Erich Hameln was at that concert.

He couldn’t afford to give that gossip-hungry idiot, who collected scandals like a starving hyena, any juicy stories.

So he held back. But he couldn’t stop himself from showing how angry he was.

The raw anger only made Enoch more miserable. This emotion, which didn’t even feel like his own, was unfamiliar. How could he, of all people, be so angry over something like this?

It was all because of this woman, Ellen’s magic. The woman who had audaciously asked him to love her for just one year but didn’t whisper anything close to love herself.

He knew from the beginning that this emotion would disappear after a year. He thought it didn’t matter. But.

Now that he was in this situation, his thoughts had changed a bit.

He didn’t want to lose.

He didn’t want to be the only one burning with all sorts of emotions while she didn’t love him.

His arrogance and pride wouldn’t allow it.

“Answer me.”

Enoch growled lowly. He didn’t know how to suppress his negative emotions. So he showed them without filter.

How angry he was, and how much he was…

Jealous.

“Were you planning to go to that b*stard instead of me?”

Ellen, who had been staring blankly as if in shock, suddenly burst into tears. She looked as if she had been deeply hurt. Enoch found it amusing. What did you do to be hurt?

“Are you planning to have some chivalric romance like from 400 years ago with him? An impossible love between a low-status man and a noblewoman? And I’m just being used, while the one you truly love is that man?”

“How could you……”

How could you say such things, Ellen muttered in a daze, sobbing. Seeing her like that, Enoch felt a sharp pain in his chest. But that too must be fake.

He didn’t want to be swayed by something fake.

But at the same time, he desired this woman.

Being swept away by the false emotions created by magic, denying those emotions and feeling miserable about it, all of it was him.

It felt like two conflicting selves were clashing.

Even now.

He was furious because of her d*mn magic, but at the same time, he felt tenderness towards her.

He wanted to whisper to her not to cry, to comfort her.

Lowering his head slowly, he gently licked away the tears flowing down her cheek. He softly ran his tongue over her reddened eyes. Hugging her as she sniffled, he kissed her cheeks and lips. Ellen murmured in a tearful voice, as though she was feeling wronged.

“Felix is my friend……. When I was young…… Felix was my only friend…….”

“…….”

In his head, he could understand.

She had a troubled childhood. For someone like that, a single friend would be incredibly precious.

But does that guy see you as just a friend?

The look in that man’s eyes. It was the look of a male wary of a rival.

“Felix Werner likes you.”

There was no hesitation. Enoch revealed the truth he had noticed. He couldn’t stand Ellen smiling innocently in front of that guy anymore.

“If Werner really saw you as just a friend, I wouldn’t be reacting so sensitively.”

A lie. Self-deception. Even if Felix Werner saw Ellen purely as a friend, he wouldn’t be able to suppress his jealousy. Once the floodgates of emotion were opened, he started getting jealous of everything.

“I can tolerate you meeting and greeting that b*stard. But no touching. Whether it’s him or any other guy, don’t let another man’s hand touch you besides mine.”

Knowing it was an unreasonable demand, he shamelessly insisted. Ellen opened her mouth but said nothing. Judging by her expression, she didn’t believe him. Enoch smirked coldly and suddenly bit her neck harder than usual, as if leaving a mark that she was his.

“Ow, it hurts……”

When she pushed him away, he finally let go and licked the spot where he had left a mark, looking apologetic despite having caused her pain.

“……Answer me, Ellen.”

“…….”

“Do as I say.”

Stay away from Felix Werner, who hovers around you with hidden intentions. Don’t smile at him. Don’t let anyone else touch you. Not any other man.

He knew he was being childish. But he couldn’t suppress this emotion, this black, sticky, swamp-like feeling.

Ellen, looking up at him with tear-filled eyes, finally spoke.

“……I am not Your Highness’s possession.”

Your Highness. The title she repeated without fail made a bitter smile escape his lips. You call me that again, even though I’ve corrected you several times. It was as if you’re deliberately trying to keep your distance.

Why? Because you plan to leave me after a year?

Enoch gritted his teeth and glared at Ellen. He didn’t want to wait for her next words. It would be nonsense not worth considering anyway. He wanted to devour her right now, to fill her mind with thoughts of him alone.

“I am…… an independent person. Don’t force anything on me. I’ll handle my relationships myself,”

“You’ll let another man touch you?”

“That’s not what I meant!”

She snapped and then shrank back immediately. Enoch chuckled lightly at the sight of Ellen looking at him fearfully. Still afraid of me. No progress at all. This relationship was going in circles.

“The situation you’re worried about won’t happen. Never.”

“Does that mean you’ll remain faithful to me?”

“Of course. As long as I’m your wife.”

Ellen spoke firmly, though she sniffled slightly, as if the remnants of her sorrow lingered. Enoch clicked his tongue softly at her pitiful appearance.

The anger that had been like molten lava was now relatively calm. But other emotions still roiled within him. The most intense of them was……

“……You’re planning to divorce me after a year.”

“…….”

“That was the contract from the beginning.”

He knew. He knew that all these emotions shaking him were illusions. They would vanish like bubbles after a year, worthless things.

But she still had value to him, didn’t she?

Even if this relationship was just a short-lived amusement for a year, even if she meant nothing to him in the end, he had plenty of reasons to keep her by his side.

Yes, so……

“I have no intention of letting you go.”

“…….”

“Even after a year, stay by my side and serve your purpose. I’ll compensate you well.”

I can’t stand the thought of you going to Felix Werner. Ellen gasped and trembled at his threatening words. Her watery eyes looked so sad. But Enoch couldn’t understand what caused that sadness.

The hearts of others are so distant. Even when they’re this close.

“……After a year, I won’t be of any help to Your Highness.”

“Don’t lie.”

“It’s not a lie. My foresight magic…… has clear limitations. After a year, I’ll be of no value to you.”

She cried as she pleaded, saying that she would be in a miserable state once the love magic wore off, so please let her go.

“I’ll just stop loving you. You don’t love me anyway, so why would you be miserable?”

Ellen seemed to want to say something, but she didn’t. Instead, she asked in a trembling voice.

“Will there be a day when Your Highness truly loves me?”

Her question seemed to carry a hint of hope, making Enoch laugh helplessly. It was absurd. You don’t love me, but you want me to truly love you?

“I’m already loving you like this.”

“……Truly, not because of magic.”

Enoch sneered.

And drew a line.

This emotion was not entirely his own.

It was a fake, born from magic.

“Well, if it weren’t for the magic, I don’t think I would ever have loved you.”

The moment he said that, he saw despair fill Ellen’s eyes, and he felt a strange sense of victory.

At the same time, he realized his emotions were irreparably twisted.

Love wasn’t always sweet. It could be dark and gloomy, and unfortunately, that too was love.

Enoch smiled bitterly. He pulled Ellen, still shedding tears, and kissed her.

In any case, he wouldn’t regret anything.

He was born that way.

Even if this woman was destroyed in his arms.