Harwin was skilled at acting.

It was easy to hide his thoughts in a place where darkness had fallen.

‘Though discussions with the temple are already complete……’

To be precise, he had made a contract with the high priest.

The Kingdom of Delpheron severely oppressed the temple. Therefore, they couldn’t receive support even when they needed funds.

That was probably due to an old prophecy that the Kingdom of Delpheron would fall.

“Where did it go? Must have been taken already.”

The high priest looked around and frowned as if displeased.

He muttered to himself before taking out a scroll from his bosom and putting it in the drawer.

Then he left the prophecy room immediately without lingering.

‘Just leaving like that……’

Selvia frowned while looking at the scroll identical to the one in her bosom.

‘Seems he’s already made a secret contract with someone else.’

That was unmistakably the behavior of someone diverting something.

The moment she had that thought, Selvia slowly turned her head toward Harwin who was staring at her.

“This definitely makes me look like a spy.”

“There’s no reason not to think so.”

Selvia’s eyes grew cold. Yet Harwin still smiled brightly, not taking his eyes off Selvia who was close by.

When Selvia’s hand covering his mouth gently fell away, Harwin opened his mouth and licked her palm with his tongue.

“W-What are you…!”

Startled, Selvia withdrew her hand and stepped back.

Harwin grabbed Selvia’s waist as she tried to move away from him and closed the distance again.

Her heart pounded loudly again, echoing in her ears.

Whether he knew Selvia’s feelings or not, he maintained his sly attitude.

“But seeing how you glow even in darkness…… you must indeed be from the Light family.”

“……Duke Harwin Grey. I’ve been wanting to say this since before.”

Selvia stared directly at Harwin who was close enough to touch. However, she soon lost the chance to speak further because of Harwin.

He took Selvia’s hand to his face and pressed his lips deeply against her palm with an even deeper smile than before.

“Duke Grey!”

Selvia’s voice echoed in the prophecy room.

Seeing Selvia’s face flushed with embarrassment, Harwin felt satisfaction rising within him.

Seeing her being shaken because of him made him feel like he had become somewhat special to her.

“Ah, this is indeed flirting. I’ve been flirting from the start—don’t tell me you didn’t notice?”

Harwin spoke bluntly. His boldness made Selvia draw in a sharp breath.

“Aren’t you curious about the prophecy’s contents?”

“……I am.” 

Selvia took out the prophecy scroll from her possession and showed it. Though she wasn’t sure if this was the right thing to do.

Since there was no way to open it, she couldn’t think of any other option besides handing it to him.

Harwin opened the scroll with a calm face.

“Huh……”

To think it would open so easily. She felt somewhat upset.

Unless he had some power related to holy power…..

‘Maybe he does.’

Now she felt like she understood a bit about him.

He read the contents written on the scroll in his low voice.

“The child of light will save the world tainted by darkness, and restore the light.”

‘It’s the same content that I know.’

Disappointment was clearly visible on Selvia’s face.

Catching this, Harwin continued with a smile.

“When darkness is born from light, that shall be salvation. The prophecy begins when the sun is completely covered.”

The day of the prophecy matched what she knew as well. However, the previous words were content she was hearing for the first time.

Selvia blinked at the unrevealed contents of the prophecy. Beatus must have known this.

That was the reason he had kept her.

To keep her with Leliana as well, just in case.

There was no mention of having to bear a child.

Suddenly, goosebumps covered her entire body.

Unlike the priests who interpreted it as needing to bear a child, he had tried to make her bear one for a different reason.

To use it as shackles to bind her. That must be why he was so obsessed with a child.

The light referred to her mother, and the darkness meant her.

In the end, it was as good as written that she was the child of prophecy.

Selvia’s chest ached as she thought of her mother.

Though she had never seen her, there had been a voice left in the necklace she had worn around her neck.

She must have foreseen even her death after giving birth to her.

If not for that, she would never have known that the child of prophecy referred to her.

“You will become the child who will brighten the world someday. Since you are hidden in shadows, find one who wields the power of god. They will be your way to survive.”

“When the sun is completely covered. Remember that time.”

Selvia stared intently at Duke Grey beside her.

‘Perhaps?’

Could it be that he had said those strange things because he knew she was the child of prophecy?

‘What am I thinking.’

Selvia composed her expression.

She distanced herself from Harwin who was looking at her.

Duke Grey might be a dangerous person to get close to.

It was suspicious that he could see the prophecy too.

“I’m curious what kind of contract you made with the High Priest.”

At Selvia’s sudden words, his eyes widened.

He thought she would be quick-witted, but he hadn’t expected her to catch on so early.

“……Was it that obvious?”

“The High Priest who wasn’t surprised by the missing prophecy and you being here. It adds up, doesn’t it?”

Seeing Selvia’s suspicious eyes, Harwin smiled and reached out his hand.

“I was just curious how long you would have to be bound to this place.”

“Duke Grey. Please don’t change the subject and speak directly.”

The shadows moved beneath Selvia’s feet. They reached under Harwin and coiled around his feet like a snake.

“What do you want?”

Harwin swallowed awkwardly while feeling the force at his feet and smiled uncomfortably.

Clear hostility.

It seemed his actions had disturbed her mood.

Though he didn’t show it, Harwin too was quite flustered as he hadn’t expected to meet her here.

“I want you to want me.”

“And if I don’t?”

“I plan to make you want me.”

When Harwin snapped his fingers with a click, a contract appeared in mid-air.

He held out that contract to Selvia.

Selvia frowned at the power similar to darkness.

“This should be enough to make you want me.”

Reading through the contract Harwin handed over, Selvia tilted her head.

“……Are you serious? You want me to remarry after I divorce the current king.”

[When Selvia Grace Flandre carries out remarriage with Harwin Grey, the following rights are guaranteed:

1. Granted citizenship of the Karina Empire
2. Protected from threats from the Kingdom of Delpheron
3. Can have shares of land owned by Harwin Grey under Selvia Grace Flandre’s name
4. Granted all authority held by Harwin Grey
5. This contract remains valid even if Selvia is not the one who holds the power of light.]

According to this contract, Selvia might become a traitor to Delpheron, hated by Beatus. Yet still, the Duke of the Karina Empire wants to remarry her.

“This is nonsense.”

“Why do you think it’s nonsense?”

Harwin made an expression of incomprehension.

The contents written in the contract weren’t bad conditions for her. But from Harwin’s position, there seemed to be nothing good about it.

“Others will criticize you too.”

“Are you worried about me?”

“Yes.”

Selvia clearly realized one thing the moment she saw the prophecy’s contents.

That she couldn’t escape from Beatus with the excuse of not being able to have children.

It was clear he wouldn’t let her go easily.

So Harwin’s proposed contract was nothing short of an opportunity for Selvia.

The Empire had managed their temples well, and might find a way for her to live.

She had no interest in devouring all darkness to save the world.

What use was it if the world was saved after she died?

If the Empire became her ally, the probability of divorce would increase.

For instance, if they demanded her as spoils of war?

Given the current state of war, it wouldn’t be strange. The Karina Empire was currently breaking non-aggression treaties and conquering neighboring countries.

Though they say they want friendly relations with the Kingdom of Delpheron, if the Empire demanded her, Beatus would have to hand her over.

But there wasn’t enough justification. Perhaps there would be resistance.

“Even if you give me all authority and protect me, gossip will continue to follow.”

“That doesn’t matter. I’m quite a gossiped about person myself.”

Harwin shrugged his shoulders.

The contract he offered was quite alluring.

Upon signing, she could use all authority he held, and he would protect her identity.

It also included her becoming a citizen of the Karina Empire after divorcing Beatus.

“The imperial family won’t stay quiet.”

“If you don’t want to come to the Karina Empire, I can come to your side.”

“……What?”

“Being a son-in-law who moves in sounds good too.”

Harwin took back the contract nonchalantly and modified it.

[After her marriage with Beatus ends, Harwin will conquer the Kingdom of Delpheron and enter as her subordinate.]

“This is serious too, I suppose?”

“I don’t make promises I can’t keep.”

“It’s certainly a contract tempting enough to want to sign.”

“I’ll give you time if you need it. Feel free to add any conditions you want.”

“Let’s do that. I too can’t contract hastily with so many eyes watching.”

“Think of it simply. I want you, and you need me—that’s all there is to it.”

Harwin glanced around, then wrapped his arm around Selvia’s waist, pulled her towards him and covered her eyes.

“Too much time has passed, we should head back.”

“That doesn’t mean you need to do this.”

“When else will I get to see your face if not while taking you back.”

He still looked relaxed.

Selvia sighed looking at the contract in her hand.

“Since the distance is far, I need to satisfy my selfish desires like this at least.”

With those final words, the air suddenly shifted. At the same time, Selvia slowly opened her eyes at the familiar sensation.

Having landed on her bed already, she felt empty at the disappearance of his body heat.

Selvia flopped down on the bed and covered her eyes with the back of her hand.

“……He’s really a strange person.”

It was disconcerting as this was the first time someone had wanted her this much.

The tingling sensation in her heart showed no signs of disappearing.