Ciela stepped into the drawing room.

The room, reserved for hosting the most distinguished guests, was a flawless reflection of the Duke’s household’s grandeur. Every detail spoke of opulence and refinement. Priceless artworks and furnishings adorned the space, each a masterpiece crafted by artisans who had poured their very souls into their work.

“Come in.”

But as soon as Ciela set eyes on the man who had spoken, everything else in the room faded into irrelevance.

‘Just as they say.’

Even standing still, he radiated an undeniable aura of authority. His words, spoken with casual ease, carried an unmistakable arrogance. And most striking of all… he was breathtakingly handsome.

His jet-black hair seemed to absorb all light, giving it an almost otherworldly quality. A sharply defined nose, a jawline as sharp as a blade, and broad shoulders complemented his sculpted physique. His proportions were so flawless that, had he stood completely still, one might mistake him for a marble statue brought to life.

‘Being handsome really is the male protagonist’s trademark.’

It almost felt as though somewhere in a dictionary, the definition of “handsome” would simply read: a term referring to Calix Icarus.

Her admiration, however, was brief. Ciela was someone who knew how to compartmentalize. She had come here with a purpose, and personal thoughts or feelings had no place in her plan.

“May the Emperor’s grace be with Your Grace the Duke forever. I am Ciela, here to greet you.”

Tradition dictated that she should introduce herself with her family name, but Ciela deliberately chose not to. By omitting it, she made a subtle but clear statement—she was here not as the daughter of a marquessate but as Ciela herself.

“May the Emperor’s grace also be with you, Miss Ciela. Welcome to the House of Icarus.”

His tone measured yet polite as he extended his hand toward her.

The gesture carried significance. It was a mark of respect, acknowledging her not as a representative of her family but as an individual. Ciela met his gaze and shook his hand firmly.

“Have a seat.”

“Thank you.”

As soon as they were seated, the servants entered the room with impeccable timing, as though they had been waiting just outside for this precise moment.

The servants swiftly laid out light refreshments and tea on the table, their movements precise and practiced. Within moments, they retreated quietly, leaving Ciela and Calix alone in the room.

‘I can’t afford to waste time.’

In noble society, conversations were typically a drawn-out affair. Introductions were lengthy and laden with flowery embellishments, a slow dance of words before arriving at the actual topic. But Calix, as described in the original novel, was someone who despised such formalities and preferred cutting straight to the chase.

“Am I supposed to sit idly by while my precious time is sullied by your trifling words?”

Ciela recalled the male protagonist’s sharp and memorable line. Steeling herself, she cleared her throat and began.

“Thank you once again for granting me the opportunity to meet with you.”

“The opportunity rolled right into my lap, so I suppose I should be the one thanking you.”

Ciela smiled faintly, unfazed by his remark.

“It’s fortunate that the mana stone mine you’ve been searching for happens to belong to me.”

Her words hung in the air, the subtle weight of her statement signaling that this meeting would be anything but ordinary.

Mana stones were an essential resource in this world, akin to coal and oil in Ciela’s previous life. They powered everything from transportation to magic, forming the backbone of the empire’s infrastructure. However, most of the empire’s mana stone mines had long been depleted or were nearing abandonment.

‘Except for the mana stone mine I own, of course.’

Thanks to the novel, she had discovered that untapped mana stone deposits still existed within the empire. Acting on this insider knowledge, she had discreetly employed Ken as her proxy to purchase a tract of seemingly worthless land at a bargain price. The subsequent development of the land had exceeded all expectations, yielding a massive success.

‘Ken mentioned that the imperial family has been looking for me.’

It was no surprise. The imperial family’s desperation was only natural. If the current situation continued, they would be forced to import mana stones from foreign nations at exorbitant prices, suffering severe financial losses and risking their economic stability.

Their eagerness to claim her newly discovered mana stone mine for the empire was entirely predictable.

‘But that doesn’t mean I’ll make it easy for them.’

‘For Calix, as the leader of the Emperor’s faction, the empire’s problems are never someone else’s.’

The mere fact that Calix was seated across from her spoke volumes about the significance of the mana stones. This was a man who had been avoiding all social interactions as of late—so elusive that only those with imperial status could hope to secure a meeting with him.

“I never would have imagined that an abandoned mine, long believed to have no more diamonds, would end up containing a deposit of mana stones. Discovering that… truly remarkable.”

“It was just a stroke of luck.”

There was no other way to explain how she had come into possession of the mana stone mine. The knowledge from her past life, combined with the insight she had gained from the novel based on this world, could only be described as pure fortune.

‘Originally, this should have been Lilia’s.’

In the novel, Lilia seemed to embody good fortune itself, as though the world had conspired to bless her at every turn. Benefactors appeared out of nowhere to aid her. She stumbled across hidden treasures, unearthed valuable mines, or discovered rare herbs capable of curing plagues. Her life was a series of miraculous events.

Yet in this timeline, the Lilia Ciela had encountered so far seemed surprisingly… ordinary. The extraordinary luck that had defined her in the novel had yet to manifest, leaving Ciela as the one in possession of the mana stone mine that should have belonged to her sister.

‘Perhaps the blessings of this world aren’t set in stone after all.’

“They say luck is a skill, too. Now, to the point. You mentioned in your letter that you’d transfer ownership of the mana stone mine under certain conditions. I’d like to hear exactly what those are.”

Calix said, his fingers interlaced as he tilted his chin upward. Even that subtle motion made the sharp angles of his jaw stand out, strikingly defined.

“I’ll get straight to the point.”

“Good. I appreciate straightforwardness. Go ahead.”

As he smiled, Calix’s deep, ocean-like eyes curved softly, folding in half with the motion. His crimson lips curled into an arc so mesmerizing it was almost predatory, like a beast toying with its prey before the feast. The sheer sensuality of his expression caught Ciela off guard, her eyes widening ever so slightly in surprise.

‘The male protagonist isn’t supposed to smile often.’

She quickly rationalized that the mana stone mine must hold significant allure for him to prompt such a rare display. Gathering her composure, Ciela extended her hand toward him with deliberate intent.

“My condition is this: for three years, Your Grace will be my lover.”

“Why?”

“It’s a personal matter. I’ll explain why I need you to be my lover for three years after the contract is signed. But I can promise you this: after three years, I’ll end the relationship cleanly.”

What she truly sought was Calix’s assistance in dismantling the Arcel family. However, even someone as formidable as Calix would find the risks of such a proposition too great. There was no need to take unnecessary risks. Simply leveraging the advantages of being Calix’s lover would be more than sufficient for her plans.

‘Besides, there’s no way Calix would object to the idea of becoming a contract lover.’

In the original story, Calix was currently under significant pressure from his uncle to attend arranged marriage meetings. A mana stone mine, combined with a contract lover who could free him from those obligations, seemed like an offer too tempting to refuse. Ciela felt confident he would agree to her terms.

At least, she did—until she saw his smile fade.

“I can’t agree to those terms as they are.”

For a moment, it felt as if Ciela’s heart had plummeted into her stomach. She had never anticipated the possibility of him refusing. Her proposal was undeniably advantageous to him, after all. Forcing herself to regain her composure, she responded as if unfazed.

“May I ask which part of the terms you find unsatisfactory?”

At her question, Calix’s previously serene expression shifted. His flawlessly smooth brow furrowed slightly, and a dark shadow passed over his face.

“After meeting me in person, you think I’m only worth keeping for three years?”

“…Pardon?”

Leaning back in his chair, Calix crossed one leg over the other and rested his hand leisurely on the armrest. His posture exuded confidence, but his words carried a startling weight.

“If you change the condition to make it permanent, I’ll consider it.”

‘…What did I just hear?’

Feigning calm, Ciela lifted her teacup and took a measured sip, though her thoughts churned wildly beneath her composed exterior.

‘Is there some hidden meaning in his words?’

She turned the situation over in her mind ten, a hundred times, but no clear answer came to her. She who rarely found herself at a loss, was utterly bewildered. There was no way Calix could have meant those words sincerely—absolutely none. There had to be some hidden meaning behind them, but no matter how she analyzed it, she couldn’t decipher it. Could it be…?

“Are you, perhaps, acting as a proxy for His Grace, the Duke? If you’re overworked and trying to get revenge on him, please signal by shaking your teacup.”

“I’ll be sure not to shake it, even by accident.”

Calix replied, his lips curving into a faint smile.

Guess not.

Ciela let out a quiet sigh, taking another sip of tea to conceal her unease as her mind raced. A cold sweat trickled down her back.

‘What possible benefit could there be in staying in a permanent relationship with me?’

It had to be a joke. Surely, he wasn’t serious.

“What an amusing jest, Your Grace. May I ask again which part of my original terms you find unsatisfactory?”

“A lifelong relationship…?”

“So, you want me to guess. Very well.”

‘If I were the duke, which aspect of my proposal would give me pause?’

Placing herself in Calix’s position, she considered several possibilities.

“If it’s the rumors about me that concern you, I assure you I’m capable of rehabilitating my reputation in the near future. If you prefer, we can postpone announcing the relationship publicly until then.”

“That’s not much of an issue.”

His long fingers tapped rhythmically against the armrest of his chair, a faint hint of dissatisfaction flickering across his face. Observing his expression intently, Ciela delved deeper into her thoughts.

‘Is he worried that I might become a nuisance by falling in love with him?’

Calix had endured countless women competing for his affection over the years, some going as far as threatening their own lives if he refused to marry them.

‘If I were to fall for him during the contract period, it would undoubtedly put him in an uncomfortable position.’

Of course, that wasn’t a concern. Ciela had no intention of seeing a business partner as a romantic prospect, nor was she in any state of mind to develop feelings for anyone. One painful experience with love was enough to make anyone cautious, but she had already been burned five times. Even relationships devoid of love had left her thoroughly disillusioned with people.

‘Since Calix couldn’t possibly know that, I’ll just have to reassure him.’

Her tone remained calm and professional as she spoke, a faintly businesslike smile softening her expression to emphasize her sincerity.

“There is absolutely no chance that I will fall for you during the contract period, so you don’t need to worry about that.”

“Why doesn’t that make my heart flutter?”

The veins on the back of his hand became visible, and his hand trembled faintly.

“I don’t have the emotional capacity to like anyone right now.”

She had intended to end her response there, but as the thought that this might not be enough to convince Calix crossed her mind, she decided to employ the most classic yet effective method.

“Most importantly, Your Grace, you’re not my type.”

“…Not your type?”

Calix froze, as if he had been rejected outright. His usually composed red eyes wavered, devoid of their usual strength.

“Yes, I have a very specific type.”

“…And what exactly are your specific type?”

Ciela paused to think. She needed to describe an ideal that even the seemingly perfect Calix could never match.

“I prefer someone who’s, well, scruffy and covered in fur.”

“…”

“And shorter than me.”

“…”

“And someone who only looks at me, with a kind and gentle personality.”

“That’s doable.”

Ciela paused, momentarily caught off guard, before resuming.

“I also prefer someone with smaller hands than mine.”

“…”

“So there’s absolutely no need to worry about me falling for you. I hope you’ll reconsider the three-year contract relationship.”

Ciela was certain this would put Calix at ease. Yet, something strange followed.

“…”

Calix’s face had grown noticeably gaunt, far different from when she had first entered the room. His once-vivid complexion had drained to a pale, lifeless hue, and dark shadows lingered beneath his eyes.

Crack.

The sound of the armrest snapping under his grip echoed faintly through the room, a testament to the pressure of his hand.