<CHAPTER 10>
Maybe You Were Worried About Me
“You’ve got the wrong person.”
Lowering her voice on purpose to change her tone, Evelyn took a step back.
At that, Aksion let out a shallow scoff and closed the distance between them.
“Hmm, then I suppose I should go see the Marquis and Marchioness right away.”
It was frustrating, but he knew his fiancée’s weakness all too well.
In truth, she didn’t want to worry her parents.
Strategic retreat for now.
Letting out a deep sigh, Evelyn quickly decided to change her approach.
“I just… came to buy something. What about you?”
After a brief hesitation, she boldly asked in return.
Tilting his head crookedly, Aksion replied.
“This area happens to be under my jurisdiction.”
Since when did his influence extend all the way to the shopping district?
Evelyn clicked her tongue inwardly at her fiancé’s capabilities.
Then again, for the young Duke Valentino who ruled the underworld, it might not be that difficult.
Even so, she had planned to avoid getting involved with that world as much as possible.
“—you should go.”
“Hm? What did you just say?”
Lost in thought, Evelyn tilted her head when she realized she hadn’t heard him properly.
Aksion answered in his usual calm voice.
“I have something to say, so let’s go to our merchant company.”
The Valentino merchant company…?
For some reason, her instincts from the past ten years told her she shouldn’t follow him.
“Just say it here.”
When Evelyn looked at him with full suspicion, Aksion responded as if it didn’t matter at all.
“Hmm, then shall we go to a nearby café?”
Even though it wasn’t a weekend, if nobles saw them together…
[Exclusive] Young Duke Valentino and Lady of Inevassel Enjoying a Weekday Date!
That kind of headline with a large photo might end up in the papers.
Seriously, nobles in this world have no sense of privacy.
Reluctantly, she had no choice but to follow his suggestion.
At least in this area, his merchant company would be the safest place.
Evelyn shot her fiancé a glare.
“You really are insufferable, you know that?”
At that, Aksion’s eyes curved gently.
“Not as much as you.”
***
Stepping into her fiancé’s space, Evelyn quietly observed the office.
It’s more modest than I expected.
Aksion, the successor of the Valentino family, assisted his father as the vice leader of the merchant group.
Of course, his true domain was the underworld.
At his gesture, Evelyn took a seat on the sofa across from him.
The Desmon Merchant Company of the Valentino Ducal House controlled all trade rights within the Valtian Empire.
While trade had played a large role in their wealth and reputation, their power over the underworld was just as significant.
Decades ago, Aksion’s grandfather had brutally subdued the underworld guilds.
Since then, everything from dark guilds to mercenary groups had come to follow Valentino.
Though the Ducal House had never demanded loyalty, they had ultimately gained control over the underworld.
Gifted with extraordinary magical talent, Aksion chose not to become the next Magic Tower Master but instead the ruler of the underworld.
Even though she had read it in the novel, Evelyn still couldn’t understand his decision.
During their time at the Academy, representatives from the Magic Tower had visited him several times.
He said he didn’t want to live bound by rules.
Despite being part of the wealthiest family in the Empire, he valued freedom over honor.
That really is like Aksion Valentino.
As she sank into thought, the man watching her asked flatly.
“What are you thinking about?”
Startled inwardly, Evelyn casually answered.
“An hour should be enough, right? Sir Gideon is waiting.”
It was just an excuse, but she did feel somewhat guilty toward her guard knight.
Aksion let out a short laugh.
It was an ambiguous expression, somewhere between a smirk and a smile.
“What’s with that laugh?”
“You haven’t changed.”
Is he making fun of me for being overprotected?
Unable to properly refute it, Evelyn naturally changed the subject.
“Come to think of it, you’ve been busy lately.”
While sipping his tea, Aksion raised one eyebrow.
“Seems like you were worried about me.”
“What are you even saying!”
Evelyn frowned deeply at her fiancé’s absurd remark.
As if he had expected that reaction, the corner of his lips lifted slightly.
“I haven’t been feeling well these past few days, so I stayed at the estate.”
Evelyn couldn’t bring herself to ask why.
According to the original story, he would have been suffering from a violent surge of power.
An awkward silence settled between them.
Perhaps finding her reaction dull, Aksion rested his chin on his hand and spoke indifferently.
“You’re not going to ask why.”
“That’s because…”
Sometimes it was better to pretend not to know.
As she trailed off, he quietly added.
“It doesn’t matter. You’ll find out soon enough anyway.”
“Find out soon…?”
At her question, Aksion casually gathered his magic.
Then he showed her the back of his hand, where a mark had appeared.
“A seal has manifested.”
“What?”
Evelyn couldn’t hide her shock.
The mark was a snake coiling around a staff.
Perhaps because it resembled its owner, the mark looked anything but ordinary.
As she remained speechless, the dimples on Aksion’s face deepened.
“Take a good look. You’ll have one soon too.”
“What kind of nonsense is that…”
Why are you cursing me like that?
As Evelyn unconsciously touched the back of her hand, a dangerous glint flickered in his red eyes.
***
Exhausted from the day’s schedule, Evelyn was about to fall asleep.
“Ah!”
A sudden pain shot through the back of her hand.
The throbbing sensation instantly drove away her drowsiness, and she sat up.
What is this all of a sudden?
A sharp, needle-like pain pierced her skin, making her frown.
“Ugh, what is this…”
When she quickly looked at her left hand, a red light was enveloping it.
Her eyes trembled.
This could only be the manifestation of a seal.
“I wasn’t even prepared for this yet.”
But soon, she writhed as the pain intensified.
It felt as though her hand was burning as if placed in fire.
Her whole body heated up, and cold sweat streamed down her skin.
“This hurts way too much!”
After struggling for a long time, she sniffled.
The red light and pain slowly began to fade.
Is it finished now?
Swallowing dryly, Evelyn checked the mark with trembling eyes.
“W-What is this?!”
She gasped in horror as if she had seen something unimaginable.
Quickly covering her mouth, she panicked at the thought of making noise.
The mark on the back of her hand was a snake coiling around a staff.
No way… it’s the same mark as Aksion’s.
Thinking it might be a dream, Evelyn pinched her cheek.
If possible, she wanted to wake up from this nightmare as soon as possible.
But no matter what, she couldn’t wake up.
“This… isn’t a dream?”
Realizing the truth, her eyes darted around.
The clearly engraved mark reminded her of Aksion’s red eyes.
W-What is this…?
Flustered, Evelyn quickly covered the back of her hand.
There had to be something wrong with this marking.
