The Villainess Has Proposed a Contract Marriage

58 – An Old Enemy

It was around midnight when we returned to the villa from the festival in the harbor city.

Elpisia went out to the terrace while Harth was briefly away, gazing at the still-bright festival lights.

The distant, solitary darkness carried the ocean’s breath, which was humid. The bright face seemed to be alive, but the wind that carried life was suffocating, accompanied by a sense of desolation.

When the pale moon rose, the past flowed like a stream before my eyes. Yes, the night Harth and I first met was also a bright, moonlit night. Just recalling the memory made our silly, foolish encounter seem to have started from that very night.

“Just a little more… just a little more…”

Elpisia stretched out her hand to the moon hanging high in the night sky. The unusually large full moon seemed as if it would fit in the palm of her hand if she reached out. Just like the distance between her and Harth.

“How much has your heart swelled up?”

If her swelling heart were to overflow and cross the boundary, she would certainly confess honestly. She would somehow repair the creaking fence.

But Harth is a sincere person. If he found it hard to confine his heart, he would surely confess the truth.

I instinctively felt it.

The day was approaching when our contract, which I had carelessly torn up, would also be torn up by Harth.

However, Elpisia’s anxiety was growing in proportion to her anticipation.

“I must prevent a wrong ending.”

Harth had used his divine power.

Because I wanted to have a brief conversation with Yurian and to change my mood, I decided to reveal my true nature.

It was an absurdly personal reason, but I couldn’t help but show my true self.

In the past, Hart would never have done such a reckless thing.

As he grew more attached to those around him, his desire to devote himself to them also grew stronger. He would even use his divine power for trivial matters, something he had previously restrained from doing…

It had happened before.

He had placed great significance on his first external connection and cherished it deeply. The owner of the sacred name, who had been confined to the temple, gradually began to spend more time outside. He never imagined how greatly this would change his fate.

The Hart I see now is like dust-covered memories brought to the surface.

To put it simply, it was a sense of nostalgia.

His unknown self and his known self overlapped.

“Am I… doing well?”

Sometimes, his confidence would crumble.

Had he really done the right thing by approaching me, and was their connection just a memory?

Their relationship, which had been reduced to mere memories, was a path that would never cross again in their lifetime. Yet, they still worried about it while living the same daily routine.

To be honest, it was greed. He wanted to stay by my side once again…

Watching Hart from afar, feeling helpless, was a meaningless torment.

In the end, he was stuck, unable to do anything, and could only struggle to escape his previous fate.

Just then…

The door to the terrace behind him opened. When I turned around, I saw Hart, who had visited the children, smiling warmly.

As our eyes met, his words were, as always, kind.

“Isn’t it cold? The sea breeze is quite chilly.”

“I’m not sensitive to cold, so it’s okay.”

“But if you’re going to go out, you should at least wear a coat. If you get sick, the kids will worry.”

The concept of kindness didn’t suit me. This man, who worried about others without expecting anything in return, was truly kind.

The real Elpisia Lumineel wasn’t kind.

The past, which had been painful enough to make her scream, was terrifying, and she was only pretending to be kind. As a result, if you thought she was lovely, she would take advantage of that.

“… Ah.”

A faint smile appeared.

Look, kindness was just an act.

Hart’s kindness was just a mimicry of his true nature, and Elpisia was a wicked woman who took advantage of it.

“Elpisia?”

He called out my name.

Did the sound of my own laughter bother me? Then I should acknowledge my mistake.

“Hart.”

Elpisia approached her husband, placing her forehead on his shoulder.

“Don’t use your divine power.”

“What’s with that sudden request?”

“Just… promise me. I’ll do better… I’ll make sure you don’t need to use your divine power… Please don’t do that.”

Hart looked confused for a moment.

He wondered if there was a reason behind Elpisia’s excessive concern, but it seemed unlikely that she would worry about him after spending almost an entire day together.

The answer was one.

Even if you asked, she wouldn’t have any intention of speaking, so it was pointless to ask.

Harte simply listened to Elpisia’s request and followed accordingly.

“I’ll do better, so Elpisia doesn’t have to worry.”

◇

The days spent at the villa were truly enjoyable.

From experiencing boat rides with kids at sea to learning how to swim. We went through various activities, and each day passed without a moment of boredom.

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

This time, we were all in one carriage.

The duke, as the host, departed first, and we followed as the rear guard. Therefore, the small children took the empty seats in the carriage.

As I was enjoying the peaceful scenery, Glen, who had been fidgeting with his sword, turned his gaze to me.

“President, will you be participating in the hunt as well?”

“Why? I think it would be good if you participated.”

“Uh…”

Glen, who had been hesitating for a moment, revealed his complex emotions with a subtle facial expression.

“I’m worried that if the president participates, it might be unfair…”

“I agree. Even if you just swing your sword, you could clear the entire forest.”

Yurian added to Glen’s concerns, and I reassured them, as their worries were quite realistic.

“I’ll enter the forest, but I won’t participate.”

“Then, is there a reason to do so?”

“There are two benefits.”

I raised two fingers to Yurian, who looked puzzled.

“One is that if any participants encounter danger, I can rush to their aid… and the second is…”

“And the second is?”

“When you guys make mistakes, I’ll get to mock you mercilessly. Especially you, Yurian.”

“Wha…!”

Yurian’s face turned pale, and his trembling lips hinted at immense anxiety.

“Are you still using only your brain in the palace, making your body sluggish? Our Glen has already improved significantly.”

“Gosh, that’s… I can’t…!”

“You’re still the weakest among us. That’s just how the world works.”

“No, that’s not true! I’m…!!!”

Yurian, who had jumped up, looked around frantically.

First, at me, then at Elpisia. After making eye contact with Glen, he gazed at Tina.

“I, I…!”

Finally, when Yurian met Eko’s gaze, shame filled his entire face.

“Ugh…!”

It seemed that saying “at least I’m better than Eko” was impossible, even if his lips were torn apart. Tina, who was innocently tilting her head, would never understand his feelings.

“Yurian, if you get tired during the hunt, will you shout for help on the spot?”

“What… did you say?”

“Father~ Please help me, the weakest one! … Like that.”

“What a joke!”

The young brat looks away, embarrassed, and wipes away his shame. Elpisia gazes at me with a disgusted expression.

“Harte, you’re having fun teasing a young kid like that?”

“It’s always new and thrilling.”

Yurian is a genius at provoking people. It’s rare to find someone who can make it this enjoyable. However, Elpisia seems to think differently.

“Ha… When I see you like this, I wonder who the kid is.”

“If you want, you can call me ‘older sister’.”

“Don’t even dream about it!”

Elpisia’s sharp rebuke makes me shut my mouth.

After that, an awkward silence fills the carriage.

From noble mtl dot com

My wife exudes a powerful presence, suppressing everyone’s energy.

For a while, only the sound of the wheels rolling forms a rhythm.

Elpisia, who was staring blankly out the window, opens her mouth.

“What’s the point… If you want to do it, then do it.”

“Huh? What?”

“That’s why…”

Elpisia stops there, biting her lip. I’m curious, so I lean in, waiting for her to continue.

“As you said… That, the one…”

She musters up her courage, but her hesitant words remain unfinished.

The carriage stops in a solemn atmosphere.

We’ve arrived at the forest where the hunt is taking place.

Still, I press Elpisia about what she was going to say before we get out of the carriage.

“Elpisia, what were you going to say just now?”

“Never mind, it’s fine! Let’s just get out quickly.”

“Hmm, what… Alright then.”

The carriage door opens with a creak.

As we get out, the first one to step onto the ground is, of course, Yurian, the Third Prince. With an air of curiosity, Yurian is fearless. At times like this, he really looks like a magnificent prince, making me forget that he’s a young, talented brat.

Next, the two kids with white and black hair follow Yurian.

“Hold my hand, Echo.”

“Thank you, Glen.”

Even though Glen is still young, he plays the gentleman’s role perfectly. Thanks to that, Echo tries to hide her excitement and steps down from the carriage with a composed demeanor.

“Our little lady wants to hold Papa’s hand too.”

“No way.”

Tina smiles brightly and grabs both my and Elpisia’s hands simultaneously.

“I want to hold both Papa’s and Mama’s hands!”

“What a great idea!”

“… If only you were one year older, it wouldn’t have been possible.”

Tina escorts us, with one hand on each of us, amidst the gaze of the crowd.

The Dark Horse of the Imperial Throne Competition – From the 3rd Prince Yurian, the Rumanel Family, who was never short of gossip, was a spectacle that couldn’t be ignored.

Among them, one child stood out in particular.

“Who is that girl?”

It was none other than Eko.

Due to her lifelong seclusion in the attic, there were few people who knew her.

Except for a handful of exceptions, it was safe to say that no one knew her.

“… Why is she there?”

A girl observing from afar asked in wonder.

The girl’s true identity was Rosheri Petter, Eko’s twin sister who shared the same surname.