Leon spoke very briefly, getting straight to the point. She was too tense to notice how unlike himself Leon was acting.

“Marriage…… first, I suppose.”

“Didn’t you say to postpone it? No, you seemed to treat marriage very lightly.”

That was true. Back then she hadn’t known things would turn out like this. She had tried so hard to avoid this situation, but it couldn’t be helped. Her actions then were working against her now. She had to persuade him to marry her somehow. That frightening marriage. Then she needed to get him to clearly agree to become guardian. She still couldn’t trust Leon. He might just marry her and then avoid the position of guardian because it was bothersome. She had to be precise.

Still, she felt somewhat relieved at Leon’s voice being less sharp than expected.

“I take back those words. So let’s marry however you want.”

Leon still seemed to think she wanted the marriage more. That continued to bother her throughout.

At those words, Leon’s thick eyebrows twitched. Something seemed to displease him.

His chest heaved once deeply. She desperately hoped it was because something was hurting him.

But that seemed to be just her wish. Leon hardened his expression and stared at her with sharp eyes. His face plainly showed his extreme displeasure. She needed to persuade him more.

“I won’t care what you do outside. I’ll handle the family affairs myself, so you just need to lend your name. There won’t be any bothersome things.”

Being born into this kind of family and having a happy love marriage with a man she liked was impossible from the start, anyway. Even if he was a horrible man, he was still the second son of a wealthy duke family. His status and existence alone would help protect the family and Emil. She had wanted to avoid receiving his help no matter what. But this was a wall she couldn’t overcome alone as a woman. A sense of frustration washed over her like a wave.

If he was hesitating about the position of guardian being bothersome, after hearing her words he would accept more comfortably……

“Won’t care. Just need to lend my name. This is absurd.”

Hah.

Ab……surd, he says. She didn’t understand what was absurd about it. She had proposed an even more convenient marriage. Wasn’t this what he wanted too?

At his unexpected words, Yvonne became restless.

“Did you think I would want that kind of marriage?”

Ah…… Is he…… saying he doesn’t want marriage? Then what about Emil?

Now that she needs it, it seems he’s going to refuse. Is this his way of getting revenge? She knew this was Leon’s way, but had she forgotten temporarily from being apart so long?

Suddenly her mind went blank as if she’d been backstabbed by someone she trusted. Then why did he save her from uncle?

Yet even while saying such things, Leon remained calm. Not expressing anger or being sarcastic, he was frighteningly composed. You could say he seemed unexpectedly collected. Leon was a man far from collected. But beneath that calmness, she could see massive anger writhing. She could clearly feel the controlled, restrained anger.

More than if he had been raging openly, this made her feel to her bones just how great her mistake was. He was using a strange method. Frighteningly.

Yvonne grew anxious at his words of refusal and the increasingly scary atmosphere. Now…… what should she do? Then had his words to uncle been sincere? Was he refusing because he was offended by her suggesting to postpone the marriage?

“What…… would make you change your mind?”

It ended up sounding like she was trying to appease him. But Yvonne tried not to think about that. She was desperate. If only she could save Emil.

“Do you really not know what to do, and that’s why you’re asking?”

Leon’s harsh gaze demanded how she could not know that.

In Leon’s eyes fixed on her, she could still see that massive anger lying deep within. She hadn’t known he would be this angry. Though he was angry, the sheer magnitude was enormous. Was this such a big deal?

He is angry. Which means he might change his mind once his anger is resolved. She knew very well how to resolve his anger when he got angry. So that’s why Leon demanded if she really didn’t know. She just had to close her eyes tight and endure it. For Emil. That was what she had to do, what she must do now.

Yvonne squeezed her eyes shut tight. Her situation felt pitiful. But she had resolved herself. She could endure anything.

Yvonne stood up from her seat, looking around. What Leon liked most was in the study. But she couldn’t leave this place now. Then here…… since this had been father’s bedroom…… right.

Yvonne approached the now empty large cabinet and bent down to reach into the gap between the wall and cabinet to search for something.

Leon’s head tilted slowly to the side. Contrary to his expectations, he couldn’t gauge what Yvonne was doing now.

Having found something, Yvonne approached with a relieved expression, holding it. Looking back and forth between Yvonne’s expression and what she held, Leon’s expression could not possibly be good.

Yvonne noticed from Leon’s expression. He was displeased. Is it too thin?

“Since we can’t go to the study, for now with this……”

“What am I supposed to do with this?”

Perhaps it should have been something thicker after all. Even to her it seemed like a stick thin enough to bend. Actually these caused deeper wounds. But the one wielding it probably finds it less satisfying.

“Then…… shall we go to the study together?”

If she went in with Leon, uncle would have no choice but to leave. Or, he might be somewhere else now.

“The study?”

Leon seemed extremely displeased now. His expression was becoming more and more distorted.

“Since what you want is there……”

Leon cut off her words.

“What’s there?”

Not understanding why he would ask this, Yvonne blinked for a moment before answering.

“The whip.”

To ask about this. Isn’t that what you know best? Leon had brought it himself before. So Yvonne became flustered again.

Suddenly Leon clenched his teeth. Even his eyes trembled, his reaction was extreme. She had never seen such anger. So she was quite perplexed. Because she couldn’t tell how he would vent his anger.

Leon even squeezed his eyes shut tight, perhaps trying to suppress his anger. Why is he acting like this? She was just at a loss, not knowing what she should do.

“Yvonne.”

Opening his eyes again and calling her in a low voice, Leon’s pupils churned violently like a black sea. It was a dizzying depth that made it feel like she would struggle and suffocate if she fell in.

In her discomfort and anxiety, Yvonne just stood still staring at him.

“Come here.”

He called. With an expression showing everything displeased him. What she hated most was being hit by hand. Immediately Yvonne’s face sank darkly.

Her steps were unsteady, as if being dragged by invisible ropes. When she finally approached him, she couldn’t breathe properly. Her face began growing increasingly pale.

Thud.

Leon took the stick she was holding and threw it far away. She flinched in surprise at the sound, then flinched again when his hand reached out once more. But…

Leon gently grasped her hand and pulled her close. Her knees that stumbled forward met his knees. Though their clothes blocked direct contact, she could still clearly feel the hardness.

The hand held by Leon felt as uncomfortable as if shackled.

“Yvonne. Don’t do this.”

Her eyes grew increasingly round. What…… is he saying now?

Though anger clearly remained in his churning pupils, his voice was different. It was so deeply low that she felt like she would be crushed by its weight. He didn’t even raise his volume.

“Why do you like these things? This is…… not right.”

Confusion filled her expression as she couldn’t properly comprehend what he was saying. Leon showed an attitude like he was trying to teach a disobedient child. The confusion turned to incredulity in an instant.

“Don’t ever do this again. Promise me.”

Yvonne almost let out a hollow laugh. He’s doing it again. She couldn’t understand what bizarre thing this was. He seemed determined to pin all his faults on her. Why did he keep acting this way?

“Yvonne. Hurry and promise.”

His voice sounded very gentle, unfitting for the current situation. What is this? When he’s so angry right now. Not only was this tender voice unfamiliar, but him continuing to suppress his boiling anger was even more unfamiliar.

Yvonne remained confused. No. She needed to focus and keep her wits about her now.

Right. If he’s going to act like this, shouldn’t I get a clear answer too? She somewhat recognized that she was getting better at saying what she wanted to say to Leon. But she didn’t recognize that this was happening because he had accepted it, because he had guided her.

“Then. Can I take this to mean that no matter what happens, you won’t hit me?”

Can you do that? Are you confident?

“That’s right. So hurry and fix it.”

Yvonne still couldn’t adjust. She didn’t understand. She didn’t know how to take this. What was she supposed to fix? Who was the one that needed fixing? He was saying what she should be saying. It was just baffling what kind of magic this was. Why were parts of his memory distorted? Or was he plotting something else? But his eyes were too sincere for that. They were endlessly dark and serious, to a degree she had never seen before.