Chapter 3
…What the hell is wrong with this lunatic?
“Forgive me for saying so, Your Highness, but a husband who marries into the family is a man who lives with his wife’s family after marriage.”
“Yes, I’m aware.”
The male lead answered with a bright smile.
As expected…
He wasn’t sane.
I continued,
“And as far as I know, Your Highness is currently His Majesty’s only heir.”
“Oh, I do have a younger sister.”
“But that doesn’t make your statement incorrect.”
What exactly are you trying to say?
“So I assume you’re not suggesting you’ll abandon the Imperial Throne and join House Arcrux…”
“I’ll take it as a joke.”
Jackal blinked in surprise.
“Oh?”
“So you make jokes about something as important as marriage?”
“…Pardon?”
His suddenly serious expression caught me off guard.
Did I offend him?
“I do.”
“…Excuse me?”
Before I could process his answer…
He smiled as though nothing had happened.
“You looked so tense.”
“So I thought I’d lighten the mood with a joke.”
Figures.
This silver-spooned lunatic clearly had no idea how painfully unfunny a superior’s jokes were in a rigid class society.
“But…”
Just as I relaxed and started lowering my headā
He took another step closer.
His build was much larger than I’d expected.
Instinctively, I flinched.
I had to tilt my head back just to meet his eyes.
My gaze slowly climbed upward.
“I wasn’t joking…”
“…when I said it was love at first sight.”
Our eyes met.
“Duke.”
“Will you marry me?”
“…”
“Right now.”
I stared at him with cold, emotionless eyes.
There it is.
His relentless marriage proposal.
The very same line he’d used on the heroine in the original novel.
I’d expected this.
There was only one way to respond.
‘I already know how you manipulate people.’
I closed my eyes.
When I opened them again…
I wore the face of a seasoned businessmanā
No.
The face of a ruler.
“That proposal…”
I slowly raised my eyes.
“How much are you offering?”
“…What?”
From the moment I’d learned I was inside this novel…
I’d decided to rewrite the original story my own way.
Jackal genuinely wanted this marriage.
Even if I refused…
He would continue proposing, just as he had to the original heroine.
Eventually…
It could end in imprisonment.
‘What he truly wants is to obtain House Arcrux’s heirloom through marriage, defeat the Emperor, and achieve his revenge.’
There was a way to protect all three things at onceā
My sister, who was now far away…
Our territory…
And myself.
I intended to become a woman utterly obsessed with money.
“I asked…”
“How much are you willing to pay?”
My cold question made him tilt his head.
“…Did I ever say something so insulting as buying the Duke with money?”
“Didn’t you?”
This time…
I tilted my head.
Jackal drooped his brows as though genuinely disappointed.
“…You really don’t believe I fell in love at first sight?”
“That hurts.”
Since he was undeniably beautiful…
His expression was striking.
I thought about it carefully before nodding.
“Even after reconsidering…”
“No.”
“I don’t believe that.”
“Unless it just so happens that I possess something Your Highness needs.”
Jackal smiled.
But for just an instant…
I saw the tiniest crack appear in that smile.
‘Wow… he’s actually finding this interesting.’
The real problem…
Was that gleam in his eyes.
He seemed to be enjoying this even more.
Exactly what I’d hoped for.
“I want a relationship where neither side suffers a loss.”
“If I marry Your Highness…”
“I won’t be able to properly govern the Duchy.”
“The duties of the Crown Princess would naturally come first.”
“That’s true.”
“I can’t say you’re wrong.”
Jackal neither denied nor interrupted me.
It almost sounded like he was saying,
Go on.
I smiled pleasantly.
“In that case…”
“If Your Highness is truly sincere about this proposal…”
“…”
“How about a contract marriage?”
Truthfully…
Before coming here, I’d briefly considered simply getting married and becoming a married woman.
But then…
A much better idea had occurred to me.
Use his marriage proposals against him.
“Please tell me what you truly want from me.”
“This is also an opportunity for House Arcrux to establish itself in the Imperial Capital.”
“If there’s anything I can do…”
“I’ll gladly help.”
It was a lie.
I’d simply pretend to act for my family’s benefit while buying myself time.
‘If I’m going to escape this man safely…’
‘There’s something I absolutely must obtain while I’m in the capital.’
If I entered a temporary contract marriage with Jackal…
He would believe he’d secured the heirloom.
That alone would prevent my sister’s imprisonmentāfor now.
Meanwhile…
I’d have time to figure out a safe way to escape.
Two birds with one stone.
According to the original novel…
There would soon be an incident capable of placing an unbreakable leash around Jackal’s neck.
‘And it’ll happen within the next three months.’
If I moved before everyone else…
Obtained that one particular item…
Then I could safely bring this contract marriage to an end.
‘The more I think about it…’
‘The more perfect this plan is.’
Rodemin had asked whether I really needed to go as far as a contract marriage.
But among all the plans I’d considered…
This one seemed most likely to appeal to Jackal.
“I want history to remember me as one of the greatest Dukes.”
“So…”
“How about we spend a few years fulfilling each other’s desires?”
Though I’d dissolve the marriage in less than a year.
Jackal stared at me expressionlessly.
His face appeared calm.
Almost bored.
Then…
Without warning…
His expression crumpled.
“…Good heavens.”
His golden eyes widened dramatically.
Like a gentleman who had just suffered an unforgivable insult.
“A contract marriage?”
“How can you possibly say something so cruel?”
…Excuse me?
“That kind of relationship…”
“Is one where separation is guaranteed from the very beginning.”
“I refuse.”
His voice was perfectly resolute.
Even I couldn’t help being caught off guard.
“…You truly don’t believe my proposal came from love at first sight?”
“…That hurts.”
How could anyone believe that?!
‘Maybe he just doesn’t like the time limit?’
“The duration can always be extendedā”
“No matter how long it lasts…”
“Doesn’t it still have an end?”
Well…
He wasn’t wrong.
Jackal stepped closer.
The distance wasn’t particularly small.
But because his absurdly handsome face drew even nearer…
My body instinctively tensed.
A strange light flickered within those golden eyes.
His long, narrow gaze bore into me relentlessly.
“I desire a relationship that lasts forever, Duke.”
“And to achieve that…”
“I would do anything…”
I couldn’t hear the rest of his sentence.
But a chill still ran down my spine.
Forever?
Is he talking about imprisoning me for life?
“So.”
“I’ve fallen in love with you at first sight.”
“Will you marry me?”
“I refuse, Your Highness.”
He seemed to think he was doing an admirable job of hiding just how insane he was.
It didn’t fool me.
I wasn’t afraid.
Good.
This is exactly the male lead I know.
The more faithfully he followed the original story…
The better it was for me.
“It doesn’t seem like a disadvantageous offer for you.”
“Why refuse?”
It’s an enormous disadvantage, you idiot.
My territory will collapse if I’m not there!
I politely curved my lips into a smile.
“I’m terribly sorry…”
“But your face simply isn’t my type.”
I deliberately looked at him with cold, detached eyes.
The same gaze my retainers constantly begged me to stop using because it made them feel like slabs of meat hanging in a butcher’s shop.
Jackal stared at me blankly.
That’s right.
You definitely weren’t expecting that answer.
“I don’t know what exactly Your Highness wants from me, butā”
“Love.”
No, it isn’t.
I neatly pretended not to hear him.
“If there’s something else I can offer besides marriage…”
“I’m certain it’ll interest Your Highness.”
“Wouldn’t you at least like to hear me out?”
“…”
I fell silent.
Oops.
Did I push too hard?
Jackal looked at me intently.
“You came here without knowing I’d propose.”
“And yet…”
“You seem awfully prepared.”
“Duke.”
He merely looked at me.
Yet the oppressive silence felt like invisible hands tightening around my throat.
Which was ridiculous.
He was smiling so beautifully.
Then again…
The strongest martial power in the Empire belonged to him.
Perhaps…
This was simply what murderous intent felt like.
“You seem rather certain…”
“…that I have something I want.”
