Serena no longer called the Bluebell people her family. She hadn’t initially hardened her heart to such an extent, but after she moved to the south, they persistently bothered her trying to bring her back to the north, which drained away what little affection she had left.

The first thing Serena worried about after coming to the south was the contract she had arranged between Licht and the Bluebell family. The terms were so incredibly favorable that no matter how she looked at it, there seemed to be nothing good in it for Licht.

“Come to think of it, why did you send that contract without saying anything? You clearly told me you wouldn’t make a contract.”

“I deliberately said that because I wanted you to come to my research institute. I thought you might waver more if you felt a sense of crisis.”

It was the first time she had seen someone confess to using such dirty tactics with such an affectionate expression. Momentarily enchanted by his angelic face, Serena shook her head a few seconds later.

“It was a contract you brought, and if I had discarded it, the Marquis would have seized you again. It’s unpleasant just imagining it.”

In the end, hearing that the contract with incredibly favorable terms was a gift for her made Serena’s cheeks flush slightly. She felt somewhat proud.

“But now only the Bluebell family benefits from it.”

“Not necessarily.”

Licht smiled meaningfully. Serena realized that day why the information about the Duke’s family at Yulinus’s bookstore had been so poor. Licht’s intelligence network was a step above Yulinus’s secret guild, which was known for its extensive reach. 

Serena finally learned about the Marquis’s intentions in trying to finalize the contract and the details of the deal involving her marriage.

“What on earth did I see in that man to respect him?”

She had once thought of him as someone so moral he bordered on fastidiousness, but after hearing everything from adultery to illegal weapons trafficking, she felt dejected, wondering if what she had known was just an illusion.

“If you grew up with your eyes covered from childhood, you might not have known. Or perhaps he was once such a man but changed to become what he is now.”

In any case, the Marquis’s plans began to go awry when Serena broke off her planned marriage and became engaged to the Duke. He couldn’t obtain the minerals essential for weapons production.

Furthermore, Licht had subtly approached employees at the Bluebell family’s research institute and stimulated their desires. 

Though she didn’t understand the principle, researchers who fell for Licht’s tactics ended up fighting among themselves with factions forming, and some of them defected, deciding to work at Serena’s research institute. 

Though they were a minority, they were all talented individuals who could be considered the core of the institute, carefully selected by Serena.

“With weapons trafficking now impossible and key personnel leaving the institute, research and production won’t be as easy as before. Plus, they’ll have to compete with us, so their sales performance won’t be the same. Even if they get materials from me at cheap prices, processing and commercializing them might not show immediate problems, but it will gradually become difficult. The amount of goods sold will gradually decrease, but they have to purchase raw materials from me according to the contracted volume, so it will be the Marquis who suffers over time.”

“Indeed, the most important things for a research institute are skilled techniques, financial power, accumulated knowledge, and above all, researchers.”

Serena’s institute, which would open tomorrow, had all of these. Moreover, with the addition of the Duke’s knowledge of unique magical formulas that ordinary humans found difficult to grasp. From that day on, Serena waited excitedly for the completion of the research institute.

And that day was tomorrow.

After looking around the institute here and there, skipping about like an excited child, Serena finally arrived at the building exclusively for the director that she could use alone. 

Her excited appearance, like a child visiting a playground for the first time, resembled a beautifully sparkling sea of desire, writhing to spread in all directions.

Finally, she arrived at Serena’s study and lounge. The cozy space with thick blackout curtains felt intimate when the curtains were drawn and bright and cheerful when they were open, thanks to the abundant sunlight pouring in. 

Licht embraced Serena, who was looking around everywhere like a puppy, seemingly pleased, and sat her on the desk.

“I don’t need to ask to know you’re quite pleased.”

“Of course. It was prepared by Licht, who said he would listen to anything I say.”

Though she had received an incredible gift, Serena felt this was just the beginning. 

Her dreams that she would create anew at the research institute, the new memories she would build one by one with Licht, and the time to discover who she was while filling her inner self that she thought had been emptied.

Serena realized she had never been so excited waiting for tomorrow in her entire life. Happiness overflowed beyond control.

“You told me, didn’t you? Not to think or worry about anything, just to do whatever I want and keep running forward.”

“Yes. I enjoy watching how far your greed will take you and what you’ll obtain.”

“You must never tire of following me, okay? I can run forward because you’re behind me.”

She cupped Licht’s face and kissed him. Laughter burst out simultaneously between their lips that briefly touched and parted. 

Serena suddenly realized that just as she was gradually changing into a new person since coming to the south, the man before her was changing little by little too.

They were becoming more like each other.

They were learning from each other, becoming new, and moving forward to tomorrow. A tranquility where everything fit together perfectly filled the space between them.

“And this is the first request that arrived for the institute director. It will likely become a regular request.”

Licht nodded toward a file on the desk. Serena picked up the file he indicated and opened it with an excited heart. A request already, even before the institute had opened. With a pounding heart, she checked the development content.

[Research and Development Project for Various Tools for Desirable Human S*xual Desire Resolution.]

Serena’s eyes trembled as she read the document several times. When she looked up in disbelief, Licht gently cupped her cheek and smiled.

“I’ll be counting on you from now on? You agreed to help expand my business if you lost the bet.”

“You said it was on hold!”

“That hold ended today. You admitted you lost. Are you going to change your word now?”

“Licht!”

She was accustomed to spending rapturous nights with him and had learned how addictive the sweetness of pleasure could be. She had promised to fill her insatiable desire by spending countless nights with him, but.

She never expected to be asked to create such tools with her own hands. Serena’s scream was drowned out by Licht’s laughter. Her playful complaints continued as she gently tapped his shoulder with the file.

The unusually long and hot southern sunlight embraced the two of them, warmly flowing into the depths of the study.

fin.