The Villainess Proposed a Contractual Marriage

It was just past midnight when they returned to the villa from the heart of the port city's festival.

During Harte's brief absence, Elphisia stepped out onto the terrace, capturing the still-bright festival lights in her gaze.

The sea breeze blowing from the distant, solitary darkness was humid. In daylight, that damp wind seemed to bring life, but now, with only starlight as a guide, it carried a sense of oppression.

When such a pale moon rose, the past flowed like a stream before her eyes. Yes, the night she first crossed paths with Harte had a bright moon just like tonight. Recalling it now, that ridiculous and foolish encounter began on a night just like this.

'Just a little more... just a tiny bit more...'

Elphisia reached out towards the moon perched high in the night sky. The unusually large full moon seemed as if it would fit perfectly in her grasp with just a bit more effort.

Much like the current distance between her and Harte.

'How much has your heart grown?'

If his swelling heart surpassed its limit and jumped the fence, he'd hide it for now. Even if it meant patching up the creaking fence somehow.

But Harte was an honest person. If it truly became unbearable to keep his feelings locked away, he'd surely confess the truth.

She sensed it instinctively.

That day wasn't far off.

The day when Harte would burn the contract she'd long since incinerated was approaching soon.

Yet, Elphisia's anxiety expanded in proportion to her anticipation.

'I must prevent a wrong ending.'

Harte had used his divine power.

For the trivial reason of wanting to chat briefly with Yulian, and to cheer her up.

He'd manifested divine power for such absurdly personal reasons.

An act the past Harte would never have dreamed of.

As he grew to cherish those around him more, his desire to devote himself intensified. To the point of using the divine power he'd restrained until now for such trivial matters...

It was the same before.

He'd attributed meaning to and cherished the first outside connection he made. The bearer of a baptismal name who should have been confined to the temple began spending more and more time outside. Who could have dreamed it would transform into such a massive calamity?

Harte's recent behavior brought dusty memories to the surface.

To put it in words, it was déjà vu.

The self he didn't know and the self he was now overlapped.

'Am I... doing the right thing?'

Sometimes, her conviction crumbled.

Wondering if approaching Harte was truly the right thing to do.

Perhaps the proper path would be to leave their connection as just a memory, never to meet eyes again for the rest of their lives. Even as she lived out the same daily routine, she constantly pondered this.

To be brutally honest, it was greed. The greed to stay by her man's side once more...

Watching Harte from afar after letting him go so futilely would have been unbearable torture.

In the end, unable to do this or that, she was struggling to break free from her previous fate as much as possible.

It was then.

Clunk.

The terrace door opened behind her. Turning around, there stood Harte, wearing his kind smile, having just returned from visiting the children.

As their eyes met, his words were, as expected, gentle.

"Aren't you cold? The sea breeze was quite chilly."

"I'm not really sensitive to cold."

"Still, I'd prefer if you wore at least a coat when you come out. The kids would be sad if you got sick."

The concept of gentleness didn't suit her. This man who worried about others purely, without any ulterior motives, was truly a gentle person.

The real Elphisia Luminel was not gentle.

She merely acted gentle out of fear of the past where she'd screamed until her throat was raw. If he looked upon her fondly because of this, she intended to take advantage of it as much as she could.

"... Ha."

A bitter laugh escaped her.

See? What gentleness?

She was just a villainess mimicking kindness while clinging to Harte's nature.

"Elphisia?"

He called her name.

Perhaps he was concerned about the small sound of her mocking herself. If so, she should dutifully admit her mistake.

"Harte."

Elphisia approached until she was right next to her husband, then rested her forehead against his collarbone.

"Don't use your divine power."

"What's this about all of a sudden?"

"Just... promise me. I'll do better... I'll behave so you won't have to use your divine power... So please don't."

Harte was momentarily confused.

He worried that perhaps there was some trigger for Elphisia's sudden excessive concern. But it seemed unlikely that she, who had been by his side almost all day, would have cause to worry about him.

Therefore, there was only one answer.

She likely had no intention of explaining even if he asked about the circumstances.

Harte simply listened to Elphisia's request and obliged.

"I'll do better too. So you won't have to worry, Elphisia."

---

---

The days spent at the villa were fulfilling.

From taking the children on boat rides in the sea to swimming, they went through various experiences, and each day passed without a dull moment.

The memories of the blue sea were soon buried behind the sound of carriage wheels rolling. The forest path dyed in verdant hues eventually brought them back to reality.

This time, everyone was in one carriage.

As the Duke had departed first as the host, they followed as the second group. Thus, the empty space in the carriage was filled by the small-bodied children.

While Harte was appreciating the scenery that soothed his eyes, Glen, who had been nervously fiddling with his sword, shifted his gaze to him.

"Director, will you be participating in the hunt too?"

"Why? Would you like me to?"

"Um..."

Glen paused for a moment, then revealed his complex feelings with a facial expression.

"If you participate, wouldn't it be too unfair...?"

"I agree with that. Aren't you the type who could cut down the entire forest just by swinging your sword?"

Yulian added to Glen's concern. Their worries were certainly realistic, so Harte reassured them first.

"I'll enter the forest, but I won't really participate."

"If you're just going in, is there any point?"

"There are two benefits."

Harte held up two fingers to Yulian, who expressed doubt.

"One is that I can rush over if any dangerous situations happen for the participants... and second."

"Second?"

"I'll have plenty of chances to laugh at your mistakes. Especially you, Yulian."

"What...!"

Yulian's face turned pale. Moreover, his trembling lips betrayed immense anxiety.

"Your body must be stiff from only using your head at the Imperial Palace, right? Our Glen's skills have already improved by leaps and bounds."

"Kuh, that's... unavoidable...!"

"You'll definitely be the weakest among us. That's how the world works."

"Th-That's not true! I am...!!!"

Yulian stood up abruptly and looked around frantically.

First at Harte, then Elphisia. After meeting Glen's eyes, he looked at Tina.

"I, I am...!"

When Yulian finally laid eyes on Echo, his face filled with shame, looking ready to burst.

"Ugh...!"

He clearly couldn't bring himself to say he was at least better than Echo, even if his mouth was torn. It was a sentiment Tina, tilting her head innocently, would never understand.

"Yulian, if you find the hunt too difficult, will you shout out for me right there?"

"What... do you mean?"

"Papa~ Please help this weakling! ... Like that."

"Damn it!"

The young lad rubbed his face dry, wiping away his embarrassment. Elphisia was watching Harte with a look of disgust.

"Harte. Do you enjoy teasing a child much younger than you?"

"It's always fresh and thrilling."

Yulian was a genius at receiving hits. Few people were this fun to verbally assault. However, Elphisia seemed to have quite a different opinion.

"Haa... At times like this, I wonder who the child really is."

"If you want, I could call you big sister."

"Don't even dream of it, it's creepy!"

Harte shut his mouth at Elphisia's rebuke.

After that, silence dominated the carriage.

His dear wife exerted her powerful presence, suppressing everyone's spirits.

For a while, only the rhythm of rolling wheels could be heard.

Then, Elphisia, who had been staring blankly out the window, opened her mouth.

"Well... If you really want to, go ahead and do it."

"Hm? Do what?"

"You know..."

Elphisia mumbled that far and then chewed on her lips. Curious, Harte kept his ears open, waiting for her to continue.

"Like you said before... that, sis..."

Despite mustering her courage, her hesitant words remained unfinished.

The carriage came to a stop in a bustling area.

It meant they had arrived at the forest where the hunting festival was being held.

Still, before opening the carriage door, Harte pressed Elphisia about what she was trying to say.

"Elphisia, what were you about to say just now?"

"It's, it's fine! Let's just hurry and get out."

"Hmm, well... alright then."

Clunk!

As expected, the first to step onto the ground from the newly opened carriage was the Third Prince, Yulian. Unbothered by curious gazes, Yulian was bold. At times like this, he truly looked like a proper prince, making one forget he was just a brat with excellent hit reception.

Following Yulian were two little ones, one white and one black.

"Take my hand, Echo."

"Thank you, Glen."

Despite his young age, Glen admirably fulfilled the role of a gentleman. Thanks to him, Echo touched the ground demurely, barely concealing her bursting joy.

"Should daddy hold our daughter's hand?"

"Umm, no thanks."

Tina grasped both Harte's and Elphisia's hands simultaneously, beaming brightly.

"I want to hold both daddy and mommy's hands!"

"What an excellent idea."

"... If she were just one year older, this wouldn't have happened."

And so, Tina received a formal escort, flanked by them on both sides.

People's gazes turned towards them.

From Third Prince Yulian - the dark horse in the succession race - to the ever-gossiped-about Luminel ducal family, they were quite the spectacle.

Among them, one child particularly stood out.

"Who is that girl?"

It was Echo.

Having spent her entire life in an attic, few people knew her.

With very few exceptions, it could be said that there were certainly none who did.

"... Why is she there?"

A girl observing from afar posed a question.

The girl's identity was none other than Echo's twin sister who shared the same surname.

Rochelle Peter.

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