Chapter 40

“You don’t have to know,” when he thought she was running away, he felt bad and his voice dropped. Instead of prying, Juvellian sighed.

“Okay, so what’s your answer to the contract love affair?” Max hesitated before answering. Because there was something that was going on his mind the whole time.

“I have something to ask before that.”

“Yes, ask.”

“I wanted to know. Why did you propose to have a relationship with me, although it is a contract?” After hearing the answer, it seemed that the frustration in my heart would be relieved. “Why did you suggest that to me?”

“You want to know why I chose you specifically?”

“Yes.” With Max’s affirmation, Juvellian’s face became serious. It was when Max was clenching his fist in an unknown tension. The woman’s red lips opened.

“Because you are the disciple that my father favors?” In the end, it wasn’t because of the appearance that everyone praised, nor because of his excellent sword skills. At the somewhat absurd answer, Max distorted his face.

‘That’s why you want to date me?’

Strangely, he was disappointed and angry at the same time.

‘I can’t believe I’m doing this stupid thing because of a woman like that.’

He wanted to get mad at Jubelian who was trying to use him. But he couldn’t get angry because he was looking at her face. Rather, the more he looked at her, the more he was able to ease his anger.

‘Why am I being swayed by such a woman?’

It was when Max, in a sense of shame, slightly twisted his face.

”And also because…” As he raised his head, her smiling face came into his eyes. “Because you are the only man I know now who I am comfortable with enough to ask for this kind of favor.”

Comfortable, that was the feeling he felt for her too. “Yes, that’s what it is.” The inside of his chest was swaying warmly due to the joy that had come up.

The dissatisfaction he just felt was quickly replaced by the pleasing feeling at the fact that she was feeling something similar to him. (Tn; I agonised over this sentence for a long time I hope it’s okay.)

There were questions that were still unresolved, but I didn’t want to think about it any more.

‘Yes, this is enough for now.’

Max raised his mouth without even knowing.

* * *

I could see his face smiling out of the blue when I said it.

‘Why are you smiling?’

I don’t know why, but it was nice to see him smiling.

‘Yes, you’re handsome for now.’

I didn’t want to, but I had to admit it. His face was really my taste.

‘You have a nasty personality, but I think that face will make me feel like I’m going to be in a relationship.’

For a moment, I recalled that I still haven’t heard from him.

“Now that I’ve gave you the answer you wanted, you have to give me the answer I want,” he nodded his head to my question.

“Okay, I take your offer.” At last, I smiled brightly at the thought of being away from the Death Flag.

”Thank you. How much do you want for the pay?” he frowned at my words.

“There is no need for remuneration. Because I’m just trying to pay back my previous debts.” At the end of that remark, I thought he was out of his mind. But because I was trying to be alert about money and save it for the sake of independence, I was a bit glad.

‘You’re so nice.’

I was thrilled and said, holding his hand. “Please take care of me in the future.” To me he replied with a frown.

“Okay, but let go of this hand.” But I had no intention of letting go of his hand.

“What are you talking about? You and me and I have to act as a lover from now on, but it’s difficult if you don’t act like it.”

‘Because my life is at stake in this ridiculous play.’

“As long as we’re in a contract relationship, we have to hold hands, fold arms, and call my name affectionately. You know that, right?” I could see him staring at me with a stiff face.

“Juvellian.” The clear voice from him opened my eyes wide. “I know your name,” the words in a serious voice rattled the inside of the heart. I soon realized something and frowned.

I don’t know his name.

“Well, when I asked for your name before, but you didn’t told me so I don’t know your name yet… Could you tell me?” I asked carefully, wondering if his feelings would be hurt.

Fortunately, he didn’t seem so offended. Breaking the moment’s silence, he opened his mouth.

“I’m… Max.”

Max, although the fact that it was a flaw that it’s a little bit similar to the Prince’s name, the meaning was not bad.

“Your parents must have wanted their son to be a great person. That’s a good name,” I said, he looked at me for a while and then opened his mouth.

“Yes,” as I had thought I’d avoid the gaze of earlier, but still the red sunset-like eyes held me. Somehow I felt strange, so I tried to turn the topic around.

“Hey, and,..”Then, he opened his mouth.

“Didn’t we just decide to call out our names from now on?” I grinned suspiciously at the words of Max, who caught me off guard.

“Yes, I did. Max.” When his name was called out of my mouth, he had a subtle smile. I looked at him and brought up the matter.

“Then shall we write down our contract first?”

At the word of the contract, he glared at me, crumpling his face in an instant.

“Do we have to write that?” At that, I sighed.

‘What didn’t my father taught his disciples some common sense? What if you get scammed anywhere.’

I sighed, and today I turned into a teacher mode for him, who was ignorant of the world and innocent.

“In every contract relationship, you must write a contract. If you don’t use it, you’ll be lucky. If we don’t, I could take advantage of you and not pay you by example.” While listening to me, he was staring at me with disbelief.

‘Haaa, do I have to explain it again?’

I was thinking about using easier words because it seamed like he didn’t understand.

“But you won’t, I know.” It was a serious voice with such firm faith. And that voice made me feel strange.

‘There has been no one who trusts me until now.’

I lived as a wicked woman, and everyone hated me. There was no one to trust me in the middle of the run. Even in the future in the original, I asked my father to trust me, and he turned away and imprisoned me. However, the red eyes looking at me didn’t even have any doubts, so a strange feeling kept tapping the bottom of my chest.

‘Oh, this is not the time now.’

After coming to my senses, I opened my mouth.

“Fraud can happen even between a family.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, so no matter how close people are, make sure to write a contract, don’t make it easy to sign a contract, okay?” He nodded with a sigh.

“Okay.” The naive answer made me more anxious.

‘How can you live in such a naive and ignorant world?’

At first, I was worried because of my dirty personality, but now I was worried because I was too sloppy and didn’t know anything. I was also worried about him.

‘Yes, let’s teach him a lot while we’re in a contract relationship.’

I was rather sorry that he would not accept the price, but I thought it would be okay to teach him the know-how of life.

“Then let’s decide on the most important thing before we write the contract.”

”What is it?” I answered what I’ve been thinking all along to his question.

“Because of the nature of my escort captain, Geraldine*, I’m sure he’ll be asking you how you met me. We can’t tell him the truth. We have to need to get our stories straight about how we met.”

“Oh, yeah.” Yeah, he couldn’t have complained. As he knows, in our first meeting, there were swords, threats, and trespassing. “So, by the way, how about this?”

I began to explain to him the setup that I had been thinking about all along. Soon he raised his voice.

“What? Absolutely not!” I asked him with a straight face when I saw him loathe.

”Do you have a better idea?”

“Can’t I do the opposite? For example-” I stopped him and opened my mouth.

“No, that won’t do. You know the knights are always next to me, right?” I held his hand and said, looking at him as he was troubled. “It’s hard to start, but it won’t be a big deal after you do it. If it’s really hard, you can just stand next to me and respond.” At my persuasion he eventually nodded with a soulless look.

“Okay.”

***

I opened the door and left the carriage with him.

“Get your hands up properly,” whispered gently, and his hand, which had been on my shoulders, wrapped around my shoulders. ”Good job,” he remained silent to my praise. I didn’t expect him to act well, but I felt a little frustrated.

I stared at the knights waiting outside the wagon. They were confused when I came out with him in a friendly manner. In particular, their leader and my relative brother, Geraldine, was staring at me with a finger on his temple.

“Can you explain what the hell is going on now, Miss?”

As expected, Geraldine tried to pry.

“Sir Geraldine, what I said earlier was actually a lie.” My frank confession gave Geraldine a nod as if he knew it would.

“Oh, yes. I thought you wouldn’t have brought in outsiders without any hesitation.” Geraldine continued, staring at me with a questioning look. “So who is he that he and Lady are taking such a kindly look?” I said proudly to Geraldine’s cold question.

“Oh, it’s my lover,”

***

I felt hot with her slender hands.

”Good job,” he heard her whispering but didn’t answer, Max was worried that she would notice this heart beating nonstop.

‘You don’t know, do you?’

He was focusing all his attention on whether she’d find out. Max’s ear was pierced with an incisive voice.

”So who is he that he and Lady are taking such a kindly look?”

”Oh, it’s my lover.” As soon as Juvellian’s words came to an end, a strong uproar raised from the knights.

”What? Don’t be ridiculous.”

”We’ve always been close to you, and I’ve never seen anyone like him.” Max clenched his fist tightly, lowering his trembling hand from Juvellian’s shoulder.