Chapter 171 — Contract Termination
Suddenly, hunger hit me, and I turned to the maid.
“Cecilia, I’m hungry now.”
At those words, Cecilia’s face lit up brightly.
“Please wait just a moment! I’ll tell Bernie to prepare a proper meal.”
“I’ll go tell her!”
Retta, whose expression also brightened, hurried off to the kitchen.
Not long after, I was able to enjoy a table so full of food it nearly bent under the weight.
As soon as Loic arrived at the villa, he climbed the stairs quickly, taking three or four steps at a time.
— “Her Highness seems to be feeling much better. She even ate this afternoon.”
It was news Tiern, who had guarded the villa tightly all day, relayed after hearing it from the maids.
When Loic reached the door, he adjusted his clothes and knocked carefully.
“Annette, may I come in?”
“You may come in.”
Hearing her voice, brighter than yesterday, Loic felt relieved as he opened the door.
A soft body suddenly threw itself into his arms.
Breathing in the sweet scent, Loic felt his entire body warm pleasantly as he hugged his wife tightly.
“Annette.”
Her loose golden hair gently brushed against the back of the hand wrapped around her waist.
Startled but happy, Loic tenderly stroked Annette’s hair.
“Did you eat?”
Annette nodded with her face buried in his chest, then suddenly looked up.
‘She definitely looks better.’
Her clear eyes stared at him quietly, and then she pressed her chin lightly against his chest and spoke.
“I was waiting.”
Loic’s lips curved upward into a wide smile.
Ever since Annette once told him she had been waiting for him and explained why, it had become his favorite phrase.
“Did you miss me?”
At his hopeful tone, Annette let out a small laugh.
“I missed you, but there was something I didn’t get to say yesterday.”
“Something you didn’t say?”
“You saved me, but I didn’t even say thank you.”
She tightened her grip on the shirt at his waist.
“It’s late, but thank you.”
Something heavy caught in Loic’s throat.
This wasn’t something Annette should be thanking him for—this was something he should be kneeling down and apologizing for.
Because he failed to protect her properly and let her go through something so horrible.
Last night, only at dawn did Annette finally fall asleep with swollen eyes, and beside her, Loic kept repeating apologies to himself.
Every time he remembered her crying that she was scared, he felt like his heart was being torn apart.
…But saying that now wouldn’t help.
The more he apologized, the more Annette would try to act like she was fine.
He didn’t want to burden her with that.
So Loic simply placed a gentle kiss near her eyes.
“I’m more grateful that you endured safely, Annette.”
They exchanged slightly shy, warm glances.
“Shall we take a short walk?”
Annette nodded readily.
Loic opened the wardrobe, now filled with clothes after just one day.
“I can just wear a shawl.”
“Absolutely not. Haven’t I repeatedly told you not to walk around in just your nightclothes?”
“This isn’t see-through at all.”
Annette held up her white nightgown.
“Your ankles are completely visible.”
In the end, Loic took out the longest, thickest robe, dressed her in it, and tied the belt securely.
When they stepped outside, the knights on guard brightened when they saw the Grand Duchess looking healthier.
Holding Annette’s hand, Loic headed toward the lakeside in front of the villa.
“It’s so beautiful.”
Moonlight shimmered softly across the emerald-colored lake.
Along the gently lit lakeside path, the annexes and servants’ quarters were clustered in the distance.
Watching Annette admire the lake, surprised by how large it was, Loic fidgeted with the small box in his pocket.
Loic had received countless pieces of advice about ‘today’.
He had heard about ‘the right moment,’ but had no idea when that moment actually was.
‘Maybe I should have done this on the terrace.’
He even began to doubt whether the lakeside was a ‘proper place’ at all.
“How did you know?”
Annette suddenly turned and asked.
“That it wasn’t me.”
Her sapphire-blue eyes sparkled.
Loic looked confused for a moment, then understood her question.
Stopping, he gently cupped her soft, pale cheeks.
“How could I mistake such a lovely wife?”
Annette’s face flushed slightly at his words.
The knights had asked him several times today as well.
— “Did dark magic react to the captain’s mana?”
— “No, it must have been the instinct of a sword master.”
But Loic had truly realized it instinctively.
Because the presence unique to Annette—something too soft, warm, and gently intoxicating to be called just a scent—was completely absent.
“Even if a hundred identical people stood before me, I would recognize Annette at a glance.”
At Loic’s firm words, Annette lifted onto her toes and kissed his cheek.
“This is because you did well—so it’s praise.”
Though it was just a light kiss, his face heated instantly.
“By the way,”
Annette said, gently swinging their joined hands.
“This is something I heard from the dragon…”
I’m your mate.
“Mate…?”
In a sugar-sweet voice, Annette explained that Loic had imprinted on her.
“…!”
Only then did Loic realize that the clear possessiveness and exclusivity he felt toward Annette was the result of imprinting.
Calling it imprinting sounded nice, but in the end, wasn’t it the same terrifying obsession dragons had toward their mates?
“Did you know? Loic, you can’t help but love me for the rest of your life now.”
Did she even realize how relentless and obsessive a dragon’s greed was?
The way she spoke, pretending as if she’d been caught by the ankle, was unbearably adorable.
Haha.
Loic let out a small laugh.
“Why? Are you laughing because you’re so happy?”
Seeing Annette tease him made an indescribable happiness swell in his chest.
Loic lifted their interlaced hands and kissed them gently.
“I’m extremely happy.”
Annette tried to hide her rising smile by tightening her lips.
“But I think you’re mistaken about something.”
“Mistaken?”
“Even without imprinting, Annette is someone I would have no choice but to love for my entire life.”
Loic swallowed dryly.
Now.
If this wasn’t the ‘right moment,’ then he would probably never know when it was.
Carefully releasing Annette’s hand, Loic took the box out of his pocket.
It was a small jewelry case decorated with delicate patterns.
Annette’s eyes widened at the sight.
Loic felt his throat dry as he opened the case.
Inside was a ring set with a dazzling blue diamond.
Annette let out a small gasp.
The finely cut blue diamond reflected the lakeside lights, scattering brilliance in every direction.
Tiny diamonds surrounded the large one beneath it.
It was a wedding ring crafted by the finest masters of Nobledem, gathered at the request of the Grand Duke of Blenheim.
— “There is a mineral too precious to put up for auction, which we have kept separately.”
The blue diamond was a gemstone never discovered before.
With that diamond, Loic created a wedding ring that existed only once in the world, made solely for Annette.
Ever since the first time he saw Annette wearing her wedding ring, he had wanted to do this.
With trembling hands, Loic knelt on one knee.
“Annette.”
Annette gasped and covered her mouth with both hands.
Loic spoke in a low voice.
“I know I am a man who lacks many things.”
The hand holding the ring trembled pitifully.
“I also know that wanting to remain by your side like this is an excessive desire.”
Loic knew it well.
Annette was the most radiant and perfect woman in the world, and he was the monstrous Grand Duke.
“But I love you too much.”
He continued, his voice shaking.
“Just seeing you smile makes me happy, and when you smile at me, my heart feels like it will burst. …Because of you, Annette, I wanted to live for the first time.”
Annette’s eyelashes trembled.
“At first, I planned to let you go after one year. But now, I don’t think I can live without you.”
He wanted to finally break the one-year contract they had made.
“So, I know this is selfish of me, but… I want to spend the rest of my life by Annette’s side.”
Looking directly into her eyes, Loic said,
“Will you accept me as your husband for life?”
Whoosh—
The wind brushed past, shaking the tree branches.
“……”
Why wasn’t there an answer?
That brief moment felt as long as eternity.
“Please accept me, Annette.”
Just as Loic unconsciously spoke, his throat dry—
Annette lowered the hand covering her mouth.
Her blue eyes, filled with starlight, were moist with tears.
Her lips trembled, and finally she spoke in a shaking voice.
“That’s so unfair.”
