Chapter 1: Prologue

“Done!”

Clap!

Lucy clapped her hands and proudly looked over the completed magic circle.

Afraid she might make even the smallest mistake, she had used a protractor and ruler to draw every line. Looking at it now, it was flawless.

‘It does look a little scary, though.’

The magic circle was a deep crimson, as if it had been drawn with blood. It looked more like a demon summoning circle than anything else, but she was certain it would work.

Soon, the sacred stone placed at the center began to hum, signaling that everything was ready.

Now all that was left…

“Alright. Go lie down in there, Duke.”

…was getting the handsome man standing beside her to lie in the center.

“Which duke?”

“…”

“There are quite a few dukes in this empire.”

We’re the only two people here. You’re obviously the only duke.

Instead of saying that, Lucy simply rolled her eyes.

“Yes, yes. The empire’s one and only incarnation of the Golden Dragon, the slayer of monsters, the savior of the continent…”

“You forgot to mention my face. That’s your favorite part.”

“…The incredibly handsome Duke Edward Le Tesseron.”

Only then did his reptile-like crimson eyes soften into a gentle smile that didn’t match their sharp shape.

Lucy smiled back.

Then she pointed firmly at the magic circle as if warning him not to fool around.

“Now, would you please step inside?”

He tilted his head.

“In there?”

The duke’s head tilted in an almost adorable way.

Maybe it was because he was so ridiculously handsome. Even though he was a huge man, the gesture looked nothing more than cute.

‘If any other man did that, I’d want to punch him.’

The platinum-blond man looked most lovable…

‘…when he acted like he had no idea what was going on!’

She had almost fallen for his act, even though she knew better.

Lucy quickly pushed those thoughts aside.

“Yes. It would be perfect if you lie down on top of the sacred stone.”

The duke continued looking at her with innocent eyes.

Then he simply stated the obvious.

“To anyone who sees it, that looks exactly like a human sacrifice ritual.”

Honestly… it really did.

Lucy couldn’t help feeling a little guilty.

“C-Come on! It’s nothing like that!”

“Then is that really…”

Lucy puffed out her chest confidently and declared,

“Yes! It’s a magic circle that will make you a complete incarnation!”

“…”

“If you lie here, your incomplete blood will become the blood of a true dragon!”

The moment she said it, she realized she sounded exactly like a shady salesman.

“And then?”

“You’ll finally receive proper purification! Your berserk episodes will stop! And…”

“And I’ll find my true mate?”

Lucy narrowed her eyes.

There he went again with that nonsense about mates.

“Of course you will!”

Even after hearing her confident answer, Edward merely shrugged.

“What if it fails?”

“It won’t.”

“But I’d be terribly heartbroken.”

“Were you even listening to me?”

“I’m more delicate than I look, Lucy. I’ve never experienced defeat before, so I’m weak when it comes to failure.”

“That’s technically true, but hearing you say it is honestly kind of irritating.”

“What can I do? It’s the truth.”

With that, the duke blinked his long eyelashes and leaned his head toward Lucy’s shoulder—

“Then I don’t have to perform the ritual, and I don’t have to look for a mate…”

“Stop saying such weak things!”

Before he could finish, Lucy shoved him away with the palm of her hand.

“Hah.”

Hidden behind the hand pushing him away, the duke smiled crookedly.

The pitiful expression he’d worn vanished as if it had never existed.

Instead, he smiled so innocently it was almost shameless.

“Okay. I understand.”

“If you do, then please…”

“But I’m scared to go in alone.”

“…”

“What if this magic circle is a scam? What if some kind of curse activates the moment I lie down?”

Lucy let out a long sigh.

“Fine! Fine, alright!”

For the sake of something this important, surely she could do at least this much.

She grabbed Edward’s hand and stepped into the magic circle with him.

“Now…”

The moment she shouted, her knees gave way.

“Ah!”

…What is this?

A wave of scorching heat surged through her body.

“W-Wait…”

‘Poison…?’

No.

It didn’t feel like poison.

Her breathing became ragged.

Her entire body tingled.

Her mind slowly grew hazy.

‘I was never told the magic circle had this kind of effect!’

Did it fail?

Lucy’s eyes instinctively turned toward the duke.

If she felt this unbearably hot…

How could the duke, a man who could lose control and become a monster at any moment, possibly be fine?

“Haa…”

As expected.

Edward’s crimson eyes glowed even brighter than usual.

They looked… slightly unfocused.

He tilted his head again.

This wasn’t his usual cute little tilt.

It was slow and graceful, like a stalking leopard.

“Something’s strange, Lucy.”

“D-Duke…”

“I don’t feel anything.”

A chill ran down her spine.

His clear gaze remained fixed on her.

“Ah… Well, not exactly nothing.”

“…”

“My body’s hot.”

At that instant, goosebumps spread across Lucy’s entire body.

“D-Duke… M-My lord… Hng…”

She wanted to tell him something had gone terribly wrong, but her ragged breathing kept the words from coming out properly.

Her legs instinctively pressed together, and her throat burned.

‘I have to… get him away…’

She had to get him out before he was caught up in the magic circle any further.

“Maybe it’s because you told me to lie down… but I didn’t.”

As he spoke, Edward pulled Lucy into his arms.

Even that brief contact made her dizzy.

‘What is happening…?’

As he laid her down on the magic circle while holding her in his strong embrace, the burning sensation only grew worse.

Lucy gasped and clutched tightly at the front of his clothes.

“There still isn’t any change.”

“Hng…”

“You worked so hard to prepare all this… I’m hurt, Lucy.”

I’m the one who worked hard! Why are you the one who’s hurt?!

She couldn’t even protest.

Her mind already felt completely clouded.

“You said it would help me find my true mate.”

Edward whispered those words with a smile curling at the corners of his lips.

“I guess it can’t be helped.”

His warm breath brushed against her.

“As always, you’ll just have to purify me yourself.”

“Th-That’s…”

“This time…”

His hand gently brushed across her cheek before naturally slipping beneath the hem of her skirt.

“…I’ll need a proper purification.”

“…”

“I’ve built up quite a lot of miasma this time.”

Blink.

His long eyelashes fluttered as he smiled with narrowed eyes, looking strangely alluring. The soft rustling of clothes being removed echoed clearly in the room.

Completely flustered, Lucy could only stare at the lips drawing closer.

H-How…

‘How did things end up like this?!’