Chapter 44. Contract, or Trap (1)

It had been a constant question even while going to the auction house. Where did Ailexia get so much money? Not knowing that she had already heard the answer before questioning.

‘The Grand Duke has been acting as Ailexia’s financier, no. Her sponsor.’

Thinking about it, there were many parts that proved this fact everywhere. Especially the secondary palace.

Since the imperial palace’s owner was the Emperor, it was natural that the secondary palace also belonged to the Emperor. That meant the owner of the cage should rightfully be the Emperor as well. That’s why Iella initially mistook Chase for the Emperor.

So even when she learned that the Grand Duke was the owner of the cage, Iella thought his influence was limited to just constructing the cage. From the food Ailexia ate to the clothes she wore, and the items she used.

She never imagined that it included all the luxuries Ailexia enjoyed.

‘Perhaps that’s partly why the Emperor kept her in the secondary palace?’

Since the Grand Duke took care of all the expenses, there was no need to spend additional costs on the secondary palace. This was quite a significant advantage. Especially for the Emperor, who might be gaining some benefit from using Ailexia.

He would have known she was a useful card that could be utilized effectively without having to put in any effort.

‘Was it similar when Ailexia created her harem?’

She had thought it made no sense for a guest who was neither part of the imperial family nor free from countless rumors to use one of the imperial palace buildings solely for her own selfish desires, but now it was different. If this too had the Grand Duke’s sponsorship, it needed to be viewed from a slightly different perspective.

With only two members of the imperial family remaining, there were many buildings in the imperial palace without owners, and it wouldn’t be a problem if the Grand Duke, who was from the imperial family, used one of them.

Of course, the purpose being Ailexia’s desires could be questioned, but the fact that it wasn’t suggests the Emperor also judged there was some benefit. Well, it wouldn’t have been bad to just give away one spare palace and have her draw attention on her own.

Now she could guess why Ailexia continued to stay here despite being treated like an unwelcome guest. She had no reason to leave.

Why would she leave the imperial palace to struggle outside when there was someone behind her providing funds and convenience so she could live as she pleased? Even accommodating her absurd desire to set up a harem.

‘But why does the Grand Duke……?’

At this point, the person whose intentions were most curious was the Grand Duke. Why was he playing the role of a sponsor? What could he gain from it? The scale of things the person who took this up as a game was doing was too large to be merely for entertainment because the world was boring.

‘I was going to ask Vanessa.’

Iella sighed as she touched her forehead. Vanessa, who had gone out yesterday saying she had a few places to visit, still hadn’t returned even now, a day later. Iella anxiously bit her lips as she checked outside through the open window.

She couldn’t help it.

“Lady Ailexia, His Grace the Grand Duke has arrived. He’s waiting in the dining hall.”

Just then, a maid who knocked on the door conveyed what she had been worried about. It was the meeting she had reluctantly agreed to the day before, under the old tree.

* * *

She couldn’t tell whether the food was going into her mouth or her nose. Iella felt like she would get indigestion at any moment from the atmosphere of the quiet dining hall where only the sound of utensils clinking could be heard.

‘If it was going to be like this, I should have just finished talking yesterday.’

Such regret came too late, but it was already an irreversible situation. She nibbled on the well-cooked, juicy, tender steak in front of her, cutting it into small pieces.

Then, she glanced sideways at the Grand Duke sitting across from her. His movements using the utensils were as clean as a model from an etiquette book, befitting a member of the imperial family.

‘Why did he ask to dine together?’

When he mentioned the Tear of Grace, Iella had expected to be immediately questioned about the 5 million gold price. After all, it wasn’t a small amount.

But instead of mentioning the price, he suggested meeting again the next day. That was this dinner.

‘It was more like an announcement than a suggestion.’

Although she didn’t have the energy to deal with him right then, she didn’t want to meet him the next day either. So while she was contemplating, he told her that she didn’t really have a choice. Iella had no option but to agree, which was almost like being forced.

‘I wish he would just get to the point and leave….’

At that moment, as if reading her mind, Chase put down his utensils.

Iella, who had been observing him from the corner of her eye, blinked in surprise, and Chase’s gaze turned toward her. Feeling guilty for having been caught peeking at him, she averted her eyes.

“Should I compliment you for being so bold?”

Just as her skin began to sting from his steady gaze, his mouth, which had remained closed since entering the dining hall except when eating, finally opened. He raised his hand and dismissed all the servants who had been attending.

Once only the two of them remained in the dining hall, he went straight to the point.

“That head of yours that recklessly threw away 5 million gold.”

Iella, who had been watching the departing servants with a mix of emptiness and envy, turned her head toward him. Cold eyes devoid of any warmth were looking directly at her.

“Thanks to you, I’ve acquired an authentic item that was lost several hundred years ago. Unwillingly.”

“……”

“Did you really want it that badly?”

He pushed away his plate, still half full of food, and placed both elbows on the table. The way he rested his chin on his interlocked hands looked like he was positioning himself before beginning a thorough interrogation.

“Or was it because of what happened in the library that day?”

Indeed, the aura of someone who had almost ascended to the Emperor’s position was distinctly different from others. Iella felt the air in the dining hall instantly become oppressive from the authoritative atmosphere he exuded. Just like in that library.

“I was speechless at how ridiculous it was that you tried to provoke me with a mere 5 million gold. It almost seemed cute.”

“……”

“But thinking about it, I realized it’s time to correct that trashy spending habit of yours, where you just splurge mindlessly.”

He raised one corner of his mouth crookedly as if finding it absurd, then stood up from his seat.

Iella swallowed dryly as he slowly approached her. As if instinctively sensing that he would make her very, very uncomfortable, her body stiffened with tension.

Eventually, he came behind her, placed both hands on her chair, and leaned forward. Chase whispered near Iella’s ear.

“You’ll have to pay me the value of 5 million gold.”

It was a shocking statement even for Iella, who had been worried about what he might say.

‘How on earth can I pay such a large sum?’

A flustered Iella turned her head back. However, her lips, which were about to open to say something, froze without making any sound.

There, right in front of her face, were sharply gleaming red eyes.

Her long eyelashes trembled slightly. Preoccupied with the thought of having to resolve the 5 million gold issue, she had momentarily forgotten that he was so close. She never imagined he would stay like this.

Iella couldn’t tear her gaze away from the blood-red eyes that seemed to ensnare her. She was overcome with the illusion that he might devour her at any moment.

“I’m saying you need to resolve the matter you caused yourself, just this once.”

“What, how……”

When she didn’t say anything, perhaps thinking she hadn’t understood him, Chase added again. His gaze was as firm as a steel wall, as if nothing else would be accepted.

Iella parted her lips, which felt stuck together. He keenly caught her small, faint voice.

“It’s an insignificant price for me, but it would take you a lifetime and still not be enough to pay it off.”

“Are you saying I should pay it back over a lifetime?”

“I did consider that. But then, you would refuse even if a knife were held to your neck, wouldn’t you?”

“……”

She couldn’t say no because the real Ailexia would definitely do that and more.

No, in truth, she couldn’t speak at length because she felt his lips might brush against hers every time she moved her lips. Even now, his breath tickled her.

But she couldn’t help but object to what he said next.

“What I want is for you to remember what happened in that old tree garden yesterday. So the period will be until your memory of that place returns. Ah, if your memory doesn’t return, it could be for a lifetime.”

“What is that…!”

“If you don’t like it, find your memory. Make a diligent effort.”

About to object again to his attitude that showed no regard for the other person’s intentions, Iella suddenly closed her lips. It was because she remembered her current situation.

She had been confused, pressured by Chase’s intimidation and the burden of having directly bid 5 million gold, but she was someone who would be leaving soon.

‘Anyway, as long as I remain as Ailexia, those memories won’t return. Then isn’t it okay to just agree for now?’

Although Ailexia would be shocked to learn what she had done when she returned, it would be fine.

With Ailexia’s temperament, she would throw a fit saying she never agreed to comply with Chase’s demands, and she would absolutely refuse to fulfill them. Especially since she didn’t like him enough to meet him properly even when he visited the secondary palace daily.

Moreover, only Ailexia could actually remember. Wasn’t Chase making this demand to Ailexia, not to her? It was a demand that should have been received by the real one.

…Iella elaborately reasoned inside. In summary, she was going to leave the aftermath to Ailexia.

‘I’m sorry. Please think of this as the price for entering an illegal auction house with my body.’

Iella quickly apologized in her heart. Somehow, since entering Ailexia’s body, she seemed to be making a lot of apologies only in her mind.

But she decided to believe that Ailexia would understand.

‘I can’t give up the Tear of Grace like this!’

There was a clear reason why Ailexia had come to bid at the auction house despite the risk of using her own body. The most plausible guess at this point was that she needed the Tear of Grace to return to her original body.

So Ailexia would understand her current choice.

Besides, that voice she heard then. The voice that made her jump into the auction—remembering it, she absolutely couldn’t give up.

“…Then what do I need to do?”

Watching Iella finally ask this, he smiled.

His blood-red eyes gleamed like a predator looking at prey caught in a trap.