The Villainess Has Proposed a Contract Marriage

64 – “Erased.”

“Ha… huh…”

I already knew this.

I knew it all too well. That’s why I had prepared a strategy and was fully ready.

“But… how could it be…!!!”

The High Priest of the Demon Tribe looked around at the desolate landscape with a desperate gaze.

The forest, once proud of its lush greenery, had lost its vitality and was now mixed with dust, and the dust storm had spread to the clouds, causing a massive sandstorm. If the High Priest had delayed his judgment to retreat, they would have been wiped out on the spot.

Even so…

“I’m weak. Weaker than 10 years ago…”

The current Harute was weaker than the 12-year-old who had killed the Saint. The manifestation of his divinity had significantly decreased. It seemed like there was some kind of restriction on his sacred name.

Moreover, his body was already trembling even before taking a hit.

What was the meaning of this outcome?

“You… what are you…!!!”

The ranking of the gods each side worshipped was clear.

The human side’s god was inferior to the demon tribe’s god, and yet, the lower-ranked god’s sacred sword was this powerful. It was a contradiction of the natural order.

“Hu…”

The High Priest gazed at his own body, which was slowing down its regeneration. As a god’s agent, he had paid the price for exceeding his biological limits.

Harute was also barely holding on to his consciousness.

Just one more step. If he took just one more step, he could crush humanity beneath his feet.

Boom, Tong, Boom.

A clear, ringing sound echoed, like a soap bubble bursting. This time, he would kill the strongest guardian of humanity.

Just as the High Priest was about to smile in triumph.

Kwaang!

A beam of light descended from the sky, drawing a line across the earth. The High Priest had no choice but to defend against the unexpected attack.

Flap!

A pure white dragon slowly descended from the sky, its wings flapping. The golden dragon, which inspired awe, wrapped its body around Harute’s divine form.

[That’s as far as it goes. You’re the agent of the demon god.]

“You’re going to interfere… Dragon God.”

[Look at this kid’s guardian. If you want to continue the holy war, I’ll take on the child’s burden from now on.]

Erehite, who was elegantly imposing, was a kind of threat.

If you, who had exhausted yourself to the limit in the duel with Harute, were to say that you had enough confidence to win against me, that would be a declaration of war.

The High Priestess closed her eyes tightly.

The reality that she had to let go of the perfect opportunity right in front of her was lamentable.

Just one step. If the demons took just one step forward, their power would surpass humans in every aspect.

‘Is this really how it ends…?’

It wasn’t that the demons were unilaterally provoking humans without a reason. Except for the sacred war, human power was far inferior to that of the demons.

Unlike the demons, who could wield their unique abilities, humans had to rely on their own training to protect themselves.

Even if the sacred war was included, if Harute were to disappear, they could still wage an all-out war.

‘But… even if we were to win now, the demons would have no future.’

The next High Priestess, who was supposed to succeed, had been killed in the past. Therefore, if he were to sacrifice himself, the demon temple would almost crumble.

So, the High Priestess made the difficult decision to put away her sword.

“Those wretched things…”

She let out a sigh, as if she were cursing, and hid her divine form. The crimson orbs that had been shining brightly disappeared, leaving only a faint, golden light that flickered weakly.

[You really did well, Harute.]

Erehite, who had lost her haughtiness, trembled.

Indeed, the High Priestess had reached a level equal to that of a god. It was only natural, as if she were a window through which the gods gazed upon the world. If she were to make a bet, it would be…

But then, something unexpected happened.

Harute’s presence completely disappeared.

[… Harute? Answer me, Harute!]

Erehite sensed that something had gone terribly wrong and called out Harute’s name. However, the only response was silence.

[Ugh…!]

She immediately mounted Harute’s back and took flight.

If they could reach the temple, they might be able to find an answer.

Most importantly, Harute had to meet his family.

For him, the existence of his family was perhaps the most effective treatment in the world.

Paang!

The massive wings flapped, pushing against the air and causing the temple to rumble.

The sacred war, which had left a huge scar on the world, had temporarily subsided.

◇

“Harute, are you listening? Harute!”

“Ivria.”

Harute, who had been absent-minded for a moment, responded to the call, and Ivria burst into a bright smile. She then twirled around, showing off her figure.

“How’s this? It’s a commemorative outfit sent by the imperial family for the founding anniversary. Isn’t it lovely, with a dignified air fitting for a priestess?”

“… Ah.”

Yes, that was right. Today was the first day of the founding anniversary, and the evening of the imperial court’s banquet was approaching.

Despite her age, Ivria was still as innocent as ever. Perhaps it was because she had been living in the temple, untouched by the world.

Ivria leaned forward, putting her weight on her back.

“How’s this? Do I look pretty?”

“Yes.”

“How much?”

“As usual?”

“Then it won’t do!”

You said I was pretty, so what more do you want? Even after being friends for a long time, Euria’s inner thoughts were full of mysteries.

“What’s the problem?”

“If you wear special clothes, you’ll look even prettier! If you look the same as usual, it’s completely embarrassing!”

From noble mtl dot com

“It doesn’t matter if you’re not particularly special. Because you’re Euria, whom everyone admires.”

“Is that so? Hehe…”

In reality, Euria was known as the most beautiful woman in the empire. As a saint, she had many opportunities to show herself to the public. Therefore, Euria’s beauty was a topic of objective interest.

“You know, don’t you? Last year, during the Founding Festival, someone called me the dual peaks of the empire’s women.”

“That’s surprising.”

It’s not easy to find a beauty that can rival Euria’s. Moreover, the owner of the baptismal name does not allow any impurities to taint their physical body. In other words, their skin always maintains its optimal condition.

This Euria was going to be her opponent.

While she didn’t particularly intend to seduce her, curiosity was inevitable.

Euria, who had been reminiscing for a moment, suddenly clapped her hands.

“Ah, right! It was Elpisia Luminele, the Duchess. She’s famous as the empire’s first female duchess.”

“There was such a person.”

“Anyway, take an interest in the world. It’s not like I’m the only one you’re looking at every day, right?”

“I don’t think about personal feelings at work. It goes against the rules.”

When Harute recited her personal moral code, Euria pouted and narrowed her eyes.

“Ah… I see.”

Even Euria, who was serving the lord, should have understood, but the reason for her discontent was unclear. If she could have taken care of her emotions, it would have been better. This was a difficult problem that exceeded her abilities.

However, there was no time to ponder.

The time when the dark blue sky was filled with the warm colors of sunset was approaching.

“Let’s go, Euria.”

“Uh… Okay, my knight.”

The Founding Festival’s imperial palace ball was about to begin.

As a national event, the saint’s procession was a must. Not a single mistake was allowed.

Harute escorted Euria and boarded the carriage.

It was the same ‘job’ as always.

The annual event, filled with the scent of noble perfume, was about to begin.

Meanwhile, Euria was fondling the dress given to her by the imperial family, seemingly pleased with it.

Her beautiful face, which was radiant even when she was annoyed, was completely unaware.

The cloudless festival night was about to bring some changes…

◇

The time when Harute had free time was when Euria was about to have a private meeting with the emperor.

Euria had persuaded Harute, who was determined to fulfill her duty as a knight, to give her some freedom.

She didn’t want to be a tied-up woman, or something like that.

Honestly, it was an absurd thing to say, but she didn’t show it on her face. The way she spoke made it seem like she wanted to share a secret with me.

Harte finally gave up his seat for a reason.

“Shining brightly.”

Harte had stepped out of the banquet hall and was appreciating the well-manicured garden.

The serene atmosphere created by the lanterns in the garden and the chandeliers radiating from the palace was a contradictory yet harmonious sight. It was a scenery that could be called a kind of miracle.

At least, Harte thought so.

The architectural skills that built the awe-inspiring palace, and the landscaping skills that caught people’s attention, were miracles that didn’t exist for him.

As he continued his stroll, Harte’s sensitive hearing caught a loud and heated conversation.

It was a quarrel taking place on the banquet hall’s terrace.

“… because of that, I…!”

“What’s the evidence?”

“That kind of thing… you…! The prince…”

The distance was too far, and the conversation was fragmented. If he paid attention, he could hear it clearly, but he didn’t bother.

Eavesdropping was bad.

That was his moral and common sense.

… or so he judged for a moment.

“!”

The night air was cut through by a shocked cry.

A woman’s surprised gasp struck Harte’s ear.

He quickly turned his gaze to the terrace, where a woman in a stunning dress was floating in mid-air.

A man with his hand outstretched, as if he had pushed something, and a woman with long hair fluttering as she fell.

Harte quickly grasped the situation.

“This…!”

It was undoubtedly an accidental murder.

Harte sprinted, but unfortunately, the distance was too far. No matter how great his physical abilities were, it was physically difficult to respond in time.

So, Harte chose a desperate measure.

Pounce!

He jumped low, stretching his body like a frog swimming through the air. He somehow managed to stretch his hand to catch the woman.

“Please, grab…!”

Fortunately, the universe was kind and granted his desperate wish. Harte approached the woman, who was close to hitting the ground, with his incredible sacrifice spirit.

Just as his fingertips were about to touch her…

Whoosh!

‘… Uh?’

The woman, who was falling like a leaf on the wind, suddenly displayed acrobatic skills, adjusting her posture and center of gravity. She then landed perfectly on the ground with her feet, without a hitch.

An unexpected turn of events.

Harte’s face stiffened rapidly.

It was no wonder, as Harte had stretched out his hand in a low posture, flying low through the air.

Even if he possessed the sacred name, it was impossible to alter his trajectory in mid-air.

Harte’s outstretched hand, which was low and long, ended up touching the woman’s thigh for the first time.

Embarrassing!

“Uh… uh… ah…?”

At that moment, Hart’s cognitive abilities broke down.

It was because he had touched a woman’s body for the first time in his life, and his mind had turned completely white.

The woman’s thigh presented an extremely mysterious sensation.

The smooth skin seemed to suck in his fingers, and then the elasticity that tried to return to its original shape pushed his fingers away. The sensation of being wrapped and pushed away occurred simultaneously, making the thigh an existence that was hard to comprehend.

It was a reality that was difficult to describe in words, and he was amazed at that time.

Snap!

The woman with eyes like rubies was gazing down at Hart with a high-pressure stare, her eyelids narrowed, and her anger was palpable.

Suddenly, stars twinkled in Hart’s field of vision.

“Get out of the way.”

Wham!!!

The woman struck Hart’s temple with her fan, and he fell to the ground, rolling around like a fool.

That was the end.

The woman who had finished her punishment walked away with an air of elegance.

Meanwhile, Hart remained in a state of shock for a while, sitting in the same spot.

“Ah… uh… ah…?”

The sensation of shock still lingered on his entire palm.

The aftereffects didn’t subside easily.

“What’s… this…?”

He muttered again.

“What kind of feeling is this…”

His mind was filled with question marks, like a math problem that required astronomical calculations. And his heart was pounding wildly, trying to find an answer to the phenomenon.

“This is… what the…”

Although he couldn’t come up with an immediate answer, it was a problem that would be easily solved if observed by a third party.

It was an experience similar to being struck by lightning for a man who had sworn to remain chaste all his life.

.

.

The man’s name – Hart.

His age, thirty-two.

A spotless reputation.

A man who was farthest from being tainted by color.

…… For the first time, he had opened his eyes to desire.