Chapter 44

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Chapter 44

Lennox glanced out of the window. The darkness told him that it was well past midnight. The average person would have already been finished with their day.

But for him and the shadows, it might as well have been noontime. His sleep time was incomparably shorter than that of ordinary people even if he looked and acted normally. In a sense, he was in the same shape as he had been the morning they arrived at Elysium.

Usually, he would have been working, but there was something Lennox had to do.

He took off his jacket and handed it to a surprised Nishir, who knew that with so much time before dawn, it was not yet time for his master to sleep.

Next, Lennox took off his vest, then loosened his cravat to scratch his neck pensively.

Tsk.

At odds with the rough manner in which he undid his cravat, he gently ran his other hand through his hair.

Nishir watched the unfamiliar sight unfold. “Well, my lord…” He stared at the subtle changes in Lennox’s hands and neck. “What’s going on…”

Lennox allowed his aide the time to be shocked as he unbuttoned his cuffs.

’I’ll have to trim them.’

Even the small act of disrobing grew annoying due to his longer fingernails.

He finally opened his mouth after undoing three or four buttons on the front of his shirt. “This is taking too long.”

The only sound that came from Nishir was a gulp.

“You’ll soon start to change too.” Lennox opened his palm slowly.

A small vortex rose above it, a blue sacred stone appearing. Its color had become lighter since they first arrived on the island. It had changed, just as much as he had. As much as Olivia Brienne had shown her ability.

“Your wife…”

“Yes, it’s thanks to Olivia.”

Nishir’s eyes shook like a stormy sea. He, too, had eagerly been waiting for an Epure.

All the sinners who had been banished from that high place were waiting for her. Unquestionably.

But nobody had known it could be that simple.

“…Your Highness.” Nishir’s voice shook. “What are you going to do?”

Any of Lennox’s shadows would have felt the same.

“We will regain our glory, Nishir.” The duke’s eyes flashed with anger and despair.

Nishir held his breath. He knew well how humiliating and disgusting this disgraceful exile was for his master. “That means…”

“This is our best chance.”

Olivia’s words had proven true—her abilities could help him. He really needed her now.

What would have happened if he had refused her offer? Lennox had done it impulsively, but the results were satisfactory.

It seemed that she had awakened her abilities without knowing it. Olivia was already capable of so much, and her potential was even greater. At this rate, she would reach the second stage of her awakening soon, and the third stage was only a matter of time.

It may have all been a coincidence, but Lennox knew that this was the last chance given to him by a cruel god.

And he was going to hold it to him as hard as he could once it was in his hands.

“…Olivia,” he murmured.

Nishir, who was excited by the unexpected development, stopped in his tracks. He could sense the desire in his master’s red eyes. The yearning.

“Your Highness,” he began, “what will happen with your wife?”

The woman who entered Kravant as their hostess was a little eccentric, but she was a good person, not just because she was an Epure. Her warmth just influenced her surroundings. He could tell just by looking at her bird, who didn’t want to leave her side.

Although her time with them would not be long…

“I’ll make sure everything happens smoothly with her. Your unwavering loyalty would be appreciated.”

Nishir flushed in embarrassment. “Of course, Your Highness. I was not doubting you.”

It was rather surprising. He knew that his master took special care of his fiancee, but he didn’t expect him to be so affected. At the same time, he felt sympathy for Olivia.

“The duchess agreed to marry Your Highness on a contract. You will divorce as soon as the terms and conditions have been fulfilled…”

“There will be no such thing,” Lennox cut him off.

Divorce was unacceptable. The mere mention of the word made him feel dirty.

Nishir tried to persuade his frowning master, “The marriage contract was notarized by an ancient magic, so it is almost impossible to destroy it.”

“Almost, but not impossible.”

“…”

“If it’s a real problem, the contract can just be hidden. Besides, we didn’t set a time limit.”

Nishir was stunned—he had never imagined that he would want to contradict the duke’s words. Fortunately, the handful of wits he had left restrained his mouth.

Still, he had a hunch that something was going wrong.

Lennox and his soon-to-be-wife were so different from each other. While he had learned a lot about humans in his long life, that did not mean that he fully understood them. On the other hand, Olivia had only been alive for 20 years—far too little time to understand him.

It was as improbable as a fish understanding a tiger.

Nishir didn’t know how to stop his master. He didn’t even think it was possible.

Meanwhile, Lennox was rationalizing. “Olivia can just be given reasonable compensation.” He held in his hand everything that humans valued.

Money, power, status, and ability.

“Anything she wants will belong to her.”

Olivia would simply have all the things she deserved as his wife.

“It’s much better for her to stay with me than to divorce and live in instability.”

Nishir finally gathered his courage for the future of their hostess. “But if she reaches the third stage of her awakening, you will return to your original position. If that happens, you’ll have to be separated from her anyway…”

“Olivia will go with me.”

“What?” Nishir’s jaw dropped. “You mean, you’re taking your wife?”

“Is there anything we can’t do?” Ignoring his aide’s paling face, Lennox was lost in thought.

’Yes, we can go together. I don’t think it will be too hard for an Epure.’

After concluding such, everything became clear. He was still a little uneasy, a little guilty, but he was able to get past the feeling. Like a child who trampled on the soft grass under their feet as they chased a colorful butterfly.

But even Lennox, with all his power, knew that a person’s heart could not be forced.

Which meant that he had to seduce her. So that she would run to him of her own volition. With a plan, he was confident that he could and would do anything and everything.

’I will win Olivia’s heart. I’ll be a perfect husband, whatever that is.’

“Nishir.” Lennox glanced down at the beautiful jewelry box on the desk. “I’m going to wash up, so get ready.”

He had to greet his wife.

The sun shone brightly on their wedding day. In the clear sky, clouds slowly passed with the warm spring breeze.

It was the perfect weather for a leisurely day.

Things were, however, a little different for me in the bride’s waiting room at the temple. This was because I was busy with preparations since morning.

“Ashuna, that’s enough.”

“A little more… It’ll be over soon,” replied the woman who was busily combing my hair.

[Olivia, how do you feel now?] came Ash’s voice from inside my head. He was sitting on the dressing table, looking strangely excited.

“I don’t know. I’m still in disbelief.”

[Your wish to be with Lennox is coming true.]

Well, it wasn’t exactly a wish, but I didn’t need to correct it. It was true that my marriage to him was necessary.

[Aren’t you happy?]

“I just… I don’t know how to explain it. It feels weird that I’m getting married.”

Despite those words, my heart fluttered for some reason.

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