‘What did that man just say?’

Ah, a foreboding feeling came over her. It seemed like all the plans she had made to escape a terrible death would become completely tangled.

Elisia’s heart began to beat unsteadily.

She tried to force her frozen mind to move. But once shocked, her heart wouldn’t easily calm down. Elisia’s face became completely blank.

Derick, who had been watching her, rose from his seat.

“Normally, to prevent magical power outbursts, one must eat the twin fruits found in Minotas.”

Elisia could only listen silently, unable to respond.

“But they’ve become increasingly difficult to obtain.”

Derick approached Elisia soundlessly. It was like the skilled movement of a beast stalking its prey.

Like a herbivore facing a predator, her fingertips grew cold and her stomach churned.

Elisia’s mouth went dry, and she swallowed.

“As an alternative, I used poison.”

“Poison…”

“But even that doesn’t work anymore, as I seem to have developed a tolerance.”

“…So?”

At Elisia’s question, a dark shadow loomed over her. Elisia, who had been looking up with a dazed expression, finally regained focus in her eyes.

Red eyes. Captivated by that gaze, she couldn’t move. She clenched her fists from the mounting tension.

“I’d like to make a proposal.”

At his lowered voice, Elisia’s tightly closed lips opened cautiously.

“…What is it?”

Derick’s hand gripped the sofa behind Elisia, as if trapping her. Then he slowly lowered his head, narrowing the distance between them.

It felt like their faces would touch if she moved even slightly. Elisia awkwardly smiled and turned her head, trying to back away, but there was nowhere to retreat.

He smirked as if her resistance was futile.

“Cooperate with me.”

It was an arrogant command.

Finally coming to her senses, Elisia unconsciously gave a cold smile at his order. Of course, she quickly erased it.

‘I will never act according to your intentions.’

She couldn’t help but sneer at the man’s attitude of looking down on her. On the other hand, a small rebellious spirit arose against Derick who was trying to use Elisia as much as possible.

‘I’m no longer the Elisia who just gets pushed around by you.’

Inwardly taking a breath, Elisia slowly opened her mouth.

“What do I get in return for cooperating with Your Grace?”

Derick, who had been staring at her golden eyes, straightened his upper body. As he gradually moved away, Elisia finally let out a sigh of relief.

Returning to the opposite side, Derick crossed one leg and folded his arms. His condescending look was the very embodiment of a ruler’s arrogance.

‘What an irritating man.’

Not wanting to lose to him, Elisia also folded her arms. Nevertheless, feeling as if his gaze was penetrating her inner thoughts, she had to bite her lip while pretending to be unfazed.

Still, overwhelmed by his presence, she had to clench her fists tightly. If this continued, she might blindly follow his will. Though dizzy, she barely managed to collect herself.

After a while, as if having finished his thoughts, Derick met her gaze.

“I’ll grant you one wish.”

His tone was more like giving alms than requesting cooperation.

But even that was so like Derick that she could only laugh hollowly. Pondering his words, Elisia carefully answered as a thought occurred to her.

“One… wish?”

“Yes.”

“Anything?”

“…Yes.”

He nodded reluctantly. Though he seemed displeased about negotiating with Elisia Adelheit, he appeared to consider it a necessary price to pay.

At his answer, Elisia’s eyes widened, and eventually, she slightly raised the corners of her mouth.

“Yes, that’s good.”

It was a gentle smile without any displeasure, as if satisfied with the deal.

For a moment, Derick’s eyebrow twitched. Yet Elisia continued to smile brightly.

“First, could you tell me what I need to do and how?”

“Contact.”

“Contact…?”

“Give me your hand.”

Elisia laughed at his cold, commanding tone, as if addressing a subordinate.

Even though arrogant, Derick was known to maintain his dignity as a nobleman by showing courtesy to everyone.

However, when facing Elisia, he would treat her coldly or look down on her with contempt.

To Derick, Elisia was worth less than a passing stone.

Because Elisia Adelheit was the only person in this world whom Derick Elphias most hated and despised.

‘I know that, but it still hurts.’

With a resigned heart, Elisia extended her right hand.

“There’s no need to embrace like yesterday. It’s unpleasant.”

‘As if I enjoyed it.’

Elisia unconsciously pouted her lips. What a personality. While grumbling to herself, Derick’s hand touched her palm.

Elisia’s hand trembled involuntarily.

Though unintended, it was physical contact with a man so beautiful and elegant that he seemed otherworldly. Her heart racing was inevitable.

“Just touching hands is enough.”

“Is this really sufficient?”

Instead of answering, Derick merely nodded and clicked his tongue lightly.

For a moment, his handsome brow furrowed into a displeased expression. He seemed inwardly upset at confirming once again that contact with her made him feel better.

“Tell me what you want. It’s your reward for cooperating with me.”

“Can I say it now?”

“Speak.”

It’s nice how quickly the conversation is moving.

Unlike before, as the dialogue progressed rapidly, Elisia conveyed her intention to him without hesitation.

The one and only wish she had for him.

“I have just one wish.”

“What is it?”

She still wasn’t sure if she should bring this up now.

It felt like the relationship between her and Derick would become irreversible the moment she revealed her intention.

‘But I’ve already decided.’

Finally resolving herself, Elisia spoke in a firm voice without hesitation.

“Please divorce me.”

Derick was the one who broke the terrifyingly quiet silence.

“…Divorce?”

A voice so cold it could freeze to the bone. A sneering mockery.

‘I didn’t expect this reaction.’

Derick hated Elisia enough to want to kill her. She had expected him to welcome her divorce request with open arms, so his apparent aversion to divorce was difficult to understand.

“How dare…”

His low voice was filled with anger.

“I never thought you would bring up such a thing to me.”

“…”

“Divorce?”

She couldn’t utter a single word as he let out a hollow laugh as if finding it ridiculous. Elisia bit her lip firmly at the unexpectedly chilly atmosphere.

“With what face do you dare say such a thing?”

“What do you…”

“Or are you pretending not to know, using the excuse of lost memory?”

The anger felt throughout his body. The hatred that seemed about to explode at any moment.

His face was deeply creased as he suppressed all those emotions. Elisia froze at this fierce hatred she was experiencing for the first time.

Suddenly, Elisia recalled yesterday’s events. He was pressuring her to the point where she truly feared for her life.

‘I didn’t expect him to get this angry.’

As she hesitated, not knowing what to say under his contemptuous gaze.

Derick suddenly began unbuttoning his shirt from the top. Even while doing so, his sharp gaze remained fixed solely on Elisia. Startled, she tightly closed her eyes.

“What, what are you doing…!”

“Look carefully.”

“What?”

“At the crime you committed.”

Crime?

Elisia flinched momentarily. As she slowly opened her tightly shut eyes, thick fingers with calluses came into her view.

While her gaze was captured by his movements, Derick, who had already undone all the buttons, opened his shirt.

At first, she felt embarrassed, wondering what on earth he was doing. But soon, her eyes wavered at something gradually being revealed. She couldn’t hide her confusion.

A vivid red snake mark engraved on his left chest. It was the same mark she had created, which she had seen yesterday.

‘In a way… yes. Elisia did commit a crime.’

Seeing her bowed head, Derick’s rough breathing gradually subsided. He whispered to her in a cold voice.

“If you truly have lost your memory.”

Grr. The sound of Derick grinding his teeth pierced her ears.

“Figure out what this is and find a way to remove it.”

“…”

“If you want to mention the word divorce, you should at least show that much sincerity.”