Chapter 8 Part 2: Will You Marry Me?

He must have misheard. Caron was dumbfounded and asked again.

“What did you just say..?”

His usually red eyes were wide open at this moment.

Rosa looked down and spoke again.

“I asked if you would marry me.”

Caron couldn’t see Rosa’s expression as she kept her head down.

But an unknown joy spread throughout his body.

Marriage was not something to be taken lightly. But it was Rosa who had said it. Just the fact that she had said those words to him made Caron’s heart race.

‘Could it be..’

There were no signs. Almost none at all. That Rosa thought of him romantically.

But his heart couldn’t help but hope.

“Are you serious about that..?”

A faint heat lingered in Caron’s voice.

“Yes.”

Rosa replied.

“I’m desperate right now. I really am.”

She knew. She was practically using Caron. But this was the only way left for her now. Amidst guilt and apology, Rosa continued.

“I know. It’s a pretty shocking proposal. But it’s just a contract.”

“..A contract?”

Caron frowned. As if he had heard something absurd, he quietly remained silent.

Feeling unnecessarily pathetic, Rosa straightened her shoulders. She had to appear confident, especially at a time like this.

“Of course, I’m not really asking you to spend your whole life with me.”

Even with those words, Caron’s expression didn’t change. Rosa started to sneak glances at him, but Caron was actually thinking about something completely different.

‘I wouldn’t mind that at all.’

Caron barely swallowed those words.

“Look at this.”

Rosa came closer and held something out.

“Here, this is the contract I made. Read the details yourself.”

He thought it would be something significant, but there were only three sentences written on it.

Caron read the sentences in a low voice.

[First, the two will maintain the marriage for one year.]

[Second. If either party wishes, the contract can be terminated at any time.]

“Actually, the third clause is the most important one.”

At Rosa’s words, he looked down.

[Third. They will not interfere in each other’s private lives.]

As if asking what this meant, Caron looked at Rosa, and she said as if she had been waiting for it.

“Caron. I promise. Even if you meet another woman, I won’t care at all.”

It was a clause Rosa had added for Caron’s sake. It was what she had come up with after gathering what little decency she had left.

From Rosa’s perspective, it was obvious.

‘It wouldn’t be right for Caron to miss out on meeting his fated one because of me.’

Even if getting married in itself was an imposition, she had put a lot of thought into this clause.

But when Caron heard those words, he just let out a dry laugh.

“What..?”

His expression completely hardened.

He felt like his blood was turning cold.

A not-so-welcome guess flashed through Caron’s mind.

Why was Rosa trying to have a sham marriage with him in the first place?

He didn’t know exactly. But there were cases like that in noble society.

Cases where people eloped with their lovers or had sham marriages to avoid arranged marriages set by their families.

Both were extreme choices, but they were effective for nobles who valued purity and chastity.

‘And…’

The reason why she was trying to avoid marriage. There was one likely case. Caron’s gaze went to the third clause of the contract.

‘Don’t interfere with each other…?’

Why would she specifically include that clause?

Rosa was objectively beautiful and kind, so it was natural for her to be courted several times more than others.

Except for the one month he came to the villa. It wouldn’t be strange if someone had succeeded in courting her during that time.

His heart ached. It felt like there was a hole in his chest. But he couldn’t bring himself to ask directly.

Because if Rosa really did have someone like that, that person wasn’t him.

Caron barely maintained his poker face and asked.

“So, we shouldn’t interfere with each other? No matter who the other person meets?”

From his perspective, this was a question to probe Rosa to some extent.

“..Right?”

Rosa tilted her head and then agreed. Then, after checking the contract clauses again for a while, she nodded as if satisfied.

“Yes. There’s no problem.”

At least on paper.

Of course, she wasn’t going to meet another man. But writing ‘Rosa will not interfere in Caron’s private life’ in the contract would look a bit strange, wouldn’t it?

“Ha-“

But Caron took it differently.

Was he overreacting? But all the evidence pointed to one fact.

It was only his fault for having false hope.

Because it was Rosa. Just because of that.

“I’m sorry, Caron.”

Rosa kept murmuring those words.

“It’s a ridiculous request, isn’t it?”

Caron twisted his lips and replied.

“Then you should have just gone to him in the first place.”

Their thoughts were completely at odds.

Caron was talking about the man Rosa liked so much that she needed a sham marriage, but Rosa naturally thought of the second prince.

“I can’t!”

A cry like a scream.

“I can’t.. It’s impossible right now.”

Living as a woman. And recognizing a man as a romantic interest. They were two completely different things.

Rosa said as if making an excuse.

“If I have to do it, I want it to be my choice, at least.”

It had been almost seven years since she had lived in a woman’s body. There might come a day when that happened. She was aware of that reality.

“Of course, I understand how you feel. It must be absurd.”

She didn’t need to say it. Rosa could fully understand how Caron must be feeling.

This was a selfish and ridiculous request.

But she had been a man in the beginning, and since being possessed into this world, she had only lived because she had to.

Liking a man, marrying a man.

Putting all that aside, she just wanted to live according to her will.

“So this isn’t right.”

Ironically, she became curious at this point.

“So.”

Caron slowly opened his mouth.

“..Who is it?”

Who was in such a position that a count’s daughter couldn’t refuse marriage?

“The person you hate marrying so much that you came up with this ruse.”

“That’s..”

Rosa hesitated for a moment.

But soon, she steeled herself and slowly opened her mouth.

“..It’s the second prince. Cayron Winslet.”

It was late in the evening when Caron finally left the villa. As he was getting on his horse, he heard Rosa’s earnest voice from behind.

“Caron. I’ll be waiting for your answer! I mean it!”

Normally, he would have lingered for a long time, but now he rode his horse without looking back.

The cold night wind hit his face. But his raging emotions showed no signs of calming down.

[..It’s the second prince. Cayron Winslet.]

He clearly remembered the expression on Rosa’s face when she said that. There was definitely a genuine reluctance in her expression at that moment.

The cursed prince, the king’s bastard, the devil who devoured his own blood.

Had she finally heard those rumors?

Perhaps she had known for a long time.

Perhaps she had maintained this relationship because he hadn’t revealed his true identity.

If he revealed his identity now, how would she react?

Caron couldn’t bear the thought of Rosa despising him like everyone else.

He was used to contempt. It had been like that since he was a child. Although things had changed a lot now, he had once been treated like a ghost prince.

His mother died giving birth to him, and the emperor had no interest in the child of a woman who had once been his plaything.

Nevertheless, the empress and the first prince’s faction were openly hostile to him, who had shown his talent at a young age.

The emperor neglected his duties. The empress was the de facto ruler of the palace. Since the empress was hostile to him, so was everyone else around her.

‘So…’

He was used to contempt. He was confident that he wouldn’t care if anyone in this world despised him.

But Rosa, only she…

Could inflict a fatal wound on his hardened heart.

So warm and kind that just being near her made him feel like he could breathe, that was the kind of existence she was.

‘Since when was it…?’

A distant past, this very moment.

Perhaps from the moment they first met.

Six years ago, the empress sent assassins after him. There was no evidence, but he had a hunch. All his subordinates died, and he barely escaped alive. He collapsed from exhaustion and coincidentally ended up at the Eckshire villa.

If he had just stayed there, his cursed ability would have healed his body.

But it was like a twist of fate that the silver-haired girl found him collapsed.

[Someone, help!]

The girl approached him with a warmth he had never felt before.

[Caron. Do you want to meet next month too? I come to this small villa around this time every month.]

[Caron. How about leaving your house? I’m really worried about you. If you just leave, I’ll help you.]

Even though she was a year younger, she acted like his non-existent older sister. Yes. To be honest, he didn’t dislike that attitude.

‘Why…?’

At first, that curiosity led him to the Eckshire villa.

Spring passed, summer passed, then autumn, and finally winter. Like the natural flow of time.

At some point, it was solely because of one girl.

Caron recalled the image of Rosa speaking with a heated expression.

“Caron. I’m serious. Even if your family’s circumstances aren’t great, I really don’t care at all.”

She said she would fulfill her duties as a wife, at least during the contract period. There was a clear reason why Rosa said that herself.

Usually, a viscount’s family was almost like commoners. Some were wealthy, but most were newly made nobles. They had no territory, no manor. And given his always-the-same attire, it was understandable that she would think that way.

Even if there are no maids, no butler, it’s fine. I’m different from other noble ladies, you see? I’m good at cooking, laundry, and even
“
cleaning.”

She even said she had saved up enough money to support both of them.

‘She looks like she’s never gotten her hands dirty, and she says she’s done cooking and laundry?’

Caron let out a chuckle. The tired horse slowed down.

Gently stroking the horse’s mane, Caron let the smile fade away in the night breeze.

‘Rosa…’

His heart tightened. Happy, anxious, satisfied, and yearning. Now, Caron himself didn’t know what his true feelings were.

But one thing was certain.

“I’m sorry, Rosa.”

A strange emotion settled in his red eyes.

She had reached out to him first. And he had no intention of letting go of that hand.

Yes. He would do as she wished. Of course, without revealing that he was the prince.

It was deceit. It was betrayal.

Rosa might be greatly disappointed.

But the fact that he didn’t care much was because of his uncontrollable emotions.

‘Just for a while…’

Just for a short while would be fine.

Once a month wasn’t enough. He almost missed his chance because of his complacency.

Caron wanted to keep the light that shone only on him by his side.

Just once would be fine, he wanted to possess her now.

He had no intention of letting go. Even if his method was underhanded.

She was under a misapprehension. There was no way she didn’t know about his marriage.

But now he was going to meet the emperor. He would meet him and make it a fait accompli.

He would take Rosa Anencia as his partner.

‘You started this, Rosa.’

His red eyes, filled with intense emotion, began to look forward again.