Fragments of the armrest crumbled to the floor.

‘Did I say something wrong? I’m sure I didn’t make a mistake.’

Still uncertain about what exactly was troubling him, she slowly shifted her gaze toward Calix.

“I’ll say it again—I have no intention of agreeing to those terms.”

“Then, Your Grace, could you clearly tell me what it is that you want?”

Her frustration began to show. If neither option was acceptable, then what exactly was the issue?

“Haven’t I been saying it repeatedly? A lifelong relationship.”

“…That wasn’t a joke…?”

“I don’t make jokes. If you’d like, we can hold the wedding tomorrow and make you the Duchess.”

No matter how startled she was, Ciela had always excelled at concealing her emotions. But for the first time, she found herself staring silently at Calix, her lips slightly parted, as if time itself had stopped. After a brief pause, she tilted her head, a faint frown creasing her brow as she asked:

“Isn’t it too little for Your Grace to commit to a lifetime with me? Besides, I suffer from a congenital illness.”

“Whether it’s beneficial or not is for me to decide. Now, make your choice.”

He raised his arm and extended a single finger. His rich, velvety voice flowed effortlessly as he spoke, commanding the space around them.

“Spend your life with me.”

Then, he unfolded a second finger.

“Or walk away and leave this contract behind.”

His lips curved into a slanted smirk, a gesture that seemed to convey complete confidence in her making the “right” decision. On anyone else, such arrogance might have been insufferable. But with Calix, his self-assuredness felt almost natural, as though it was simply an undeniable part of him.

But Ciela wasn’t in the frame of mind to dwell on such things.

‘Why on earth…?’

She couldn’t make sense of it, no matter how hard she tried.

“May I ask why you’re so insistent on maintaining a relationship with me?”

Calix opened his mouth to respond but quickly hesitated, his lips pressing shut like a clam. He couldn’t reveal the truth—not yet—that he was Titi, the cat she had grown so attached to. If he confessed now, there was a real risk that not only would Calix, as a man, lose the chance to stay by her side, but Titi, her trusted companion, might also be cast out of her life. While he had no intention of continuing to meet her solely in his cat form, the possibility of Ciela’s anger over his deception made him tread carefully.

“That’s something I can’t tell you yet.”

“Not even after the contract is signed?”

“Yes.”

Ciela’s hand instinctively moved toward her throbbing temple but stopped midway, remembering she was in the duke’s presence. Instead, she picked up her teacup, raising it to her lips, though she didn’t drink.

‘I never imagined the male protagonist would behave like this.’

Of course, it wasn’t a bad deal for her. In fact, it presented unexpected advantages. Given that Calix had mentioned making her the Duchess of Icarus, it was evident that he wasn’t merely suggesting a casual arrangement. If that were the case, she wouldn’t just be his lover—she would also wield the power and influence that came with being the Duchess of Icarus.

‘That would certainly work in my favor for carrying out my plans of revenge.’

The thought of the marquess and marchioness’s faces twisting in horror, and the stunned expression on Lilia’s face, as she stood at the altar in a wedding gown beside Calix, was almost too satisfying to dismiss.

Setting her teacup down with deliberate care, Ciela dabbed her lips lightly with a handkerchief, buying herself a few more moments to think.

‘On paper, it’s an incredibly tempting offer.’

If she thought about it rationally, she should have been eagerly accepting the proposal, finalizing the agreement with a signed contract and seal as quickly as possible to ensure there was no room for second thoughts. But the unresolved mystery behind Calix’s insistence on a lifetime commitment felt like a fishbone stuck in her throat, making it impossible to swallow the idea comfortably.

‘What could he possibly gain by marrying me?’

Her mind briefly flickered to memories of previous suitors who had tried to use her as a stepping stone to get closer to Lilia. While it was unlikely that someone like Calix, with his self-assured personality, would harbor such shallow motives, the thought still lingered uneasily.

‘A contract with vague terms is always a risky proposition.’

Having made up her mind, Ciela gently placed her handkerchief on the table and looked at Calix with calm resolve.

“I’d like to propose a slight modification to the terms Your Grace has set.”

She reached up and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. Her luxurious golden hair, streaked with hints of red, cascaded gracefully as her fingers moved through it.

‘I still don’t understand what Calix hopes to gain from me.’

But since matters had progressed this far, Ciela resolved to turn the situation to her advantage. With newfound confidence, she extended three fingers in front of her.

“Three years. If, within the original three-year contract period, you manage to win me over, then we can extend the contract to a lifetime.”

In the original story, Calix possessed unshakable confidence, a self-assurance more formidable than anyone else’s. It stemmed from his many accomplishments and the tangible power he held.

‘He’ll undoubtedly believe that three years is enough to make me fall for him.’

As expected, Calix’s expression mirrored her anticipation. The confident smile spreading across his perfectly sculpted face was answer enough before he even spoke.

“That’s not a bad idea.”

Ciela promptly took his hand.

“Let me explain now why I proposed a three-year contract relationship.”

Although she had originally intended to reveal her reasons after signing the contract, she changed her approach. Picking up her handkerchief again, she adopted an air of vulnerability. She began recounting, in vivid detail, the injustices and misdeeds of the marquess couple and Lilia, even pretending to dab away nonexistent tears with the handkerchief for added effect.

Calix listened quietly, his expression unreadable, before finally breaking the silence.

“I will help you in your revenge, Miss Ciela.”

“Oh, there’s no need for that…”

‘With this, even if he doesn’t agree to the lifelong relationship, he’ll still try to win me over by helping with my revenge.’

There was no reason to turn away a gift that had practically fallen into her lap. If anything, it was only natural to use it to her greatest advantage.

“Still, if Your Grace insists on helping, I have a small request.”

Calix’s gaze sharpened, his eyes fixed on her as if urging her to continue. A crescent smile tugged at Ciela’s lips as she lightly traced the handle of her teacup with her fingertips.

“I’m preparing a special gift for my dear little sister. I want her upcoming birthday to be truly unforgettable, with every detail perfectly executed. To achieve that…”

Ciela proceeded to outline her intentions and plans with effortless clarity, each word carefully chosen to emphasize the importance of her request.

After listening intently, the duke nodded without a moment’s hesitation.

“That’s quite a simple request.”

“Simple, yes, but it’s something only Your Grace can accomplish.”

“Then I’ll make sure I work even harder not to disappoint”.

With their objectives aligned, the agreement between them was finalized quickly. Drafting the contract, affixing their seals, and signing—it all proceeded seamlessly without any complications.

“I’ll have a copy of the contract delivered to you shortly. And…”

As he spoke, he tightened his grip on the armrest and rose from his seat. His towering figure approached her, closing the distance between them until he leaned forward, his face so close to hers that she could feel the warmth of his breath.

“…Your Grace?”

Calix’s lips curved into a faint, teasing smile.

“You’ll be seeing this face often—and who knows, you might even find yourself captivated by it. Seeing you flustered already is quite amusing.”

Lowering himself to one knee, Calix extended his hand to her in a gesture of noble grace. It was the mark of a gentleman showing respect to his partner – a pose reserved for expressing awe or making a heartfelt request to someone of importance.

“From this moment on, I will honour you as my partner. Please take care of me as well.”

“…Anyone would be flustered if someone got this close.”

She tries to keep her composure.

“I look forward to working with you for the next three years.” With measured care, she places her hand in his.

Calix brought her hand to his lips, pressing a light, chaste kiss to the back of it. The scene, viewed from a distance, could have been plucked from a fairytale—an elegant man and woman appearing to hold one another in deep regard.

Of course, that was only on the surface.

‘Three years will be enough.’

Ciela thought confidently.

‘After that, I’ll live peacefully in a quiet place with Titi.’

Though their goals seemed harmonious in the moment, in truth they were as mismatched as an unstoppable spear against an unyielding shield. Beneath their composed exterior, they each harboured very different agendas.

***

Back at the Marquis’s estate, Ciela immediately took her medication with a glass of water before leaning back in her chair to catch her breath.

“I must have overexerted myself lately.”

The last few days had been gruelling and the strain was beginning to show. A low-grade fever began to creep up, adding to her discomfort.

‘I need to find the Fairy’s Apple Tree soon.’

She had already inquired with Calix if the Duke’s estate had one, but unfortunately, it didn’t.

‘Ken hasn’t brought any updates yet either.’

With the tree’s numbers dwindling, locating one was turning into an arduous task.

‘I’ll need to visit soon and ask directly about the situation.’

She resolved, massaging her throbbing temples in a habitual gesture of stress relief.

Just then, a soft, familiar sound broke through her thoughts.

“Meow!”

Titi, having returned from one of her mysterious outings, let out a sweet, melodic cry and gently pushed the window open with her paw. The sight of her cat companion brought a small, involuntary smile to her lips despite her fatigue.

“You’re back? Where have you been this time?”

“Meow.”

Titi wasn’t the kind of cat to stay confined indoors. Ciela had often heard that cats, being territorial creatures, were better kept from roaming freely, but Titi was an exception to every rule.

‘No matter how carefully I try to keep titi inside, he always finds a way to escape and comes back whenever he pleases.’

Titi was far from ordinary. He had figured out how to unlock windows on his own and could effortlessly climb down the trees surrounding the house to explore the outside world.

‘I’ve grown accustomed to him returning within three days at most.’

Ciela reflected. Just recalling those days made her already aching head throb worse, and she shook her head, as if to dispel the thought.

“Meow?”

Titi’s questioning cry broke her reverie, and Ciela couldn’t help but chuckle lightly.

Titi, now perched gracefully on the desk, suddenly leaned in close, her sharp, elegant yellow eyes catching the golden rays of the setting sun filtering through the window. The light made them shimmer like precious jewels, their brilliance captivating.

“Looking at me so adorably should be against the rules.”

“Meow!”

Titi responded enthusiastically, his cry brimming with energy. He turned his body with a graceful flourish, almost as if he were showing off, before scanning his surroundings as though searching for something.

Her delicate paws led him to a specific spot on the desk.

Tap. Tap-tap.

Titi’s paw batted insistently at a luxurious black case sitting on the table.

“Oh, that’s…”

Before she had left the Duke of Icarus’s estate, Calix had handed her this very gift.

“Make sure to open it once you’re home.”

Exhausted from fatigue, Ciela had momentarily forgotten about the box—until Titi’s curiosity brought it back to her attention. Picking up the black case, she placed it on the table before her.

“What could this possibly be?”

“Meow!”

“You’re telling me to open it now?”

“Meow!”

Finally relenting, Ciela unfastened the box and slowly lifted the lid.

“!”

Her blue eyes widened instantly, round as chestnuts, as they filled with shock. Whatever lay inside had left her momentarily speechless.