40 – The Final Proposal

Gnaw, gnaw.

Elysia hurried down the hallway, biting her nails.

Judging by the fact that the investigators hadn’t immediately descended, it seemed the Imperial Family and the Order had deemed catching Dale more important than investigating the incident itself.

“…Why is it?”

Usually, securing those implicated in an incident takes precedence, yet they remain untouched, left to their own devices, which feels quite bizarre.

As if tacitly encouraging flight, a strange sense of déjà vu washed over me as I pressed on.

I summoned the servants, who were pacing anxiously nearby, and spoke with urgency.

“Contact Father and Archbishop Mikhail, as quickly as possible.”

“Yes, yes!”

They, too, seemed to grasp the gravity of the situation, moving with a swiftness uncharacteristic of them.

Watching them scatter in all directions, I squeezed my eyes shut.

“…What should I do?”

If judged solely on ‘fact,’ I had never instigated any discordance, and maintaining a steadfast demeanor would be correct.

But as was so often the case, fact held little sway, and the falsehood of me creating discordance could become another’s truth.

Thus, rather than leave it to fester, seeking aid from those around me to swiftly quell this was the better course.

“Lady… Grand Duchess. We receive no response from the Wintraven estate.”

“My Lady! Archbishop Mikhail refuses to take the call!”

As if orchestrated, no one answered my summons, and I began to feel pushed away.

…For this to be a coincidence seems far too precise.

And with Archbishop Mikhail outright refusing to speak, it’s fair to assume he’s drawing a line, unwilling to be associated.

From that conclusion, a certain conjecture took root.

Perhaps the discordance that arose in the North was indeed artificially created.

And that discordance likely involved the North, the Church, and even the Imperial Family.

“……”

If my conjecture held true, then the likelihood of them attempting to cast all blame for the discordance upon me was extremely high, and a solution was needed.

‘For example…’

Capture Dale and expose the truth.

Or even if the truth remains obscured, I could accuse Dale of lying, shifting the blame onto him.

Therefore, securing Dale seems the best course for now.

I urgently commanded a nearby servant to gather information on Dale, then turned my gaze away.

‘Secondly, I must ensure that the key figures cannot abandon me.’

The unimportance of ‘fact’ also means that, were I to give them a reason *not* to abandon me, I could overcome all these problems.

I must provide that reason… The problem, however, is that I do not understand why this has all come to be.

“With information so woefully lacking, the only recourse is to venture into that annulment ceremony and probe.”

Any scrap of intel I could glean would be a boon, so I resolved to do just that, turning back towards the lodgings.

But then, an attendant came sprinting from afar, bearing the worst possible news.

“D-Dale has vanished! Only his clothes are left on the floor, and there isn’t a trace of him!”

“…What?”

“Those who witnessed it said the Hero received divine retribution and simply melted away, or perhaps ascended… Honestly, I can’t say for certain…”

“……”

How Dale slipped through such tight security remained a mystery.

But that wasn’t the crux of the matter, so I swiftly reoriented my thoughts.

‘In that case, the second option is all that remains.’

Which meant I would have to stake everything on that annulment ceremony, I thought as I grit my teeth and determined to start preparing for it.

* * * * *

“Are you sure you’ve searched properly? Check every nook and cranny, leave nothing unchecked!”

“Yes, sir!”

“Squad Two, what are you waiting for! Get moving!”

Amidst the clamor that echoed from every corner, I gazed out the window.

Thankfully, it appeared Dale had taken the drug as planned and slipped away with ease, for the commotion showed no sign of abating.

Confirming this, I realized the plan had succeeded perfectly and turned back calmly.

‘Well then, shall I make preparations for the annulment ceremony?’

It was highly probable that Elysia would arrive with a method to reverse the situation during the ceremony, so I should be prepared.

I was just turning my thoughts to the annulment ceremony, which could very well be the last time I saw Elysia, and about to make my way there.

When Siren grabbed my hand and said in a soft voice.

“Damian. I will always be by your side, Damian, so you don’t have to worry.”

Taken aback by this sudden confession, I stared silently at Siren.

Siren fidgeted with their fingers, seemingly embarrassed, before lowering their gaze as if to bury their face and spoke again.

“… I just felt like saying that.”

It seemed these words were meant to console me.

I was about to pat Siren on the head in gratitude when suddenly.

“Mya!”

*Whack!*

The daisy perched on my shoulder abruptly swatted Siren on the crown of his head, chirping a loud “Myang, myang!”

“…?!”

Caught off guard by the unprovoked assault, Siren gazed up at Daisy with a truly wronged expression.

Daisy, for reasons unknown, seemed immensely pleased with herself, exclaiming “Joah!”

“…This means war.”

“Myang!”

I watched their sudden skirmish, a hollow laugh escaping me.

Breaking up their tussle, I guided them towards the lodgings.

*

Reaching our rooms, De-soon… no, Dale and Liana were already there, seated.

I waved a tired greeting to them both, and Dale responded by muttering a string of curses.

“This is seriously screwed. Seriously, what do I do?”

He had charged into the contract deal out of impulse.

But no matter how hard he thought, he couldn’t find a way to fix it. He cradled his face in his hands, a picture of despair.

Seeing Dale like this, I spoke calmly, reassuring him.

“No need to worry too much. The important thing is Elysia, not you.”

In about a month, it’ll probably quiet down, to the point where no one even cares.

Of course, you won’t be able to promote her while proudly revealing your identity, but if you stay as De-soon, maybe even then you could reveal it with little problem, or so I was thinking when…

Dale spoke to me, his expression grave.

“So, what now?”

“We need to start with the annulment ceremony.”

However, I was anxious about leaving Dale alone in the lodgings during the ceremony, so I asked Liana for a favour.

“Liana, could you take De-soon around with you?”

“Of course.”

“No, what the hell ‘De-soon’ bullshit. You crazy ba…”

Liana dragged De-soon away before he could finish his sentence.

I took a breath, enjoying the sudden quiet, when a cautious knock echoed on the lodging door.

“Young Master Damian? Eleanor Duchess has sent me to see you and prepare you for your finery.”

“……”

“A formal affair, they said. Meaning, dress to avoid bringing shame on everyone.

Annoying, but these were Damian’s mother’s wishes. Reluctantly, I conceded, letting out a sigh as I agreed.

*

The final ceremony of the annulment. A place to officially mark the end.

Whether it was designed to acknowledge the finality of everything, or to quell the surge of emotions, I couldn’t say.

Sitting in the remarkably serene and cozy space, I waited for Alicia’s arrival.

As I sipped my tea, watching the man standing silently with closed eyes at the far end, I noticed Alicia enter.

She looked disheveled, quite unlike her usual self.

Her self-care had clearly gone by the wayside.

I realized she must have been driven to her limit, having no time to even consider her appearance, and greeted her.

“You’re late.”

“…”

Without a word, Alicia practically collapsed into the chair across from me.

The man, seemingly the officiant, calmly spoke as soon as he saw her.

“This place is for releasing any lingering emotions. I ask that you exchange only kind words and then sign the documents.”

Of course. Annulments like these were usually among noble families of high standing.

This space was probably meant to prevent them from losing face and to encourage them to settle things amicably, rather than continuing to bicker and fight.

I nodded to acknowledge his words, and he bowed politely before exiting.

After a moment of silence, Alicia spoke, her first words a question.

“…Just how did you manage it?”

She had committed so many transgressions that I had no idea what she was referring to, so I replied vaguely.

“What are you talking about?”

She seemed to think I was feigning ignorance, and her brow furrowed slightly as she said,

“…Don’t pretend you don’t know. You’re the only one capable of pulling something like this off.”

I chuckled and replied.

“Does it even matter? It’s over, after all.”

“…Over? To say it’s over would be to ignore how many lines we’ve already crossed. Like it or not, our connection will continue.”

“I wish it would end now.”

Alicia, seeming to have no intention of letting go, stared intently at me as she continued,

“Very well. Then let’s make a deal.”

At the word “trade,” I carefully caressed the hammer I kept tucked within my embrace.

Manipulating its blunt, yet weighty, texture, I regained a sense of inner calm before speaking deliberately.

“Trade?”

“Yes.”

A trade, at the very least, should involve something both parties find enticing enough to seal the deal.

As I desired nothing from Elysia, I was considerably curious as to what she intended to offer.

Thus, to satiate my curiosity, I nodded slowly, a silent invitation for her to speak.

Then, I subtly placed my cherished weapon, the hammer, upon the desk.

Elysia, upon seeing it, seemed to recall a previous encounter, momentarily freezing as she stared.

She then reluctantly averted her gaze, proposing her terms of trade.

“If you rescind the engagement, I will give you the North.”