Chapter 08
In the end, Beloni’s words yesterday were true.
Recalling Nosel’s report after accompanying Beloni on her outing, Shanur looked at her. His gaze was so blatant that Beloni glanced back at him now and then, silently asking, “If you have something to say, just say it.”
“Tell me more about what you said yesterday.”
“What do you mean?”
“The person who said they knew your biological mother.”
“Oh, it’s not a deep connection. They just had a brief history with my mother and gave me a bit of help because of that.”
Beloni thought of the leader of the back alleys.
She had discovered his existence after entering the business world. Hiding her identity while running her business had been tough enough, but hiding that she was a woman proved impossible. This led to frequent dismissals and interferences.
One nobleman crossed a line, and Beloni went to the back alleys to buy information on him. That’s when she met the leader by chance. He recognized her and revealed his connection to her mother. Though he could have exploited this, Beloni, knowing her limits, obtained the information she needed and left. However, rumors spread that Beloni was connected to the back alley leader, and people stopped treating her poorly.
This time, Beloni sought him out to maintain her anonymous identity and invested in a business she’d been eyeing. Her visit yesterday wasn’t for small talk but simply to deliver the first of two 1,000-gold payments.
Beloni wasn’t particularly close to him; their relationship was built on minor exchanges of goodwill.
But Shanur seemed unusually interested in this connection. Beloni wondered if Shanur and the leader were rivals.
“Do you two not get along? Don’t worry. I won’t be visiting him again.”
“…We’re not enemies. To be precise, we’re nothing to each other.”
Beloni was relieved.
Both men were important to her, so conflict between them would’ve been troublesome.
Shanur rubbed his aching temples, glancing at Beloni’s neatly folded hands on her lap. He had planned to touch her “accidentally,” but every time the opportunity arose, he hesitated.
He couldn’t help it.
Whenever Beloni came close, it felt like his chest and thighs were exposed. So, he ended up just staring at her hands. If simply looking could wear something out, Beloni’s hands would’ve vanished by now.
Realizing he’d fail to initiate contact again, Shanur swallowed a sigh and prepared to dismiss her.
“Wait.”
Before he could say anything, Beloni stood up and moved behind him.
“Stay still.”
Before Shanur could react, Beloni pressed her thumbs into his temples.
“What are you…?”
He trailed off, noticing that the sharp pain in his head was fading with each press.
Her hands, though soft, applied surprising pressure.
“When you have a headache, pressing both temples helps. You seem to suffer from severe headaches,” she explained softly from behind him.
It was an odd feeling.
Shanur had dealt with headaches for as long as he could remember—a side effect of the curse, he assumed. Medication and herbal teas hadn’t worked, so he had resigned himself to living with constant pain.
But Beloni’s simple massage had worked.
Is it her skill? Or…
Is it because it’s Beloni?
As his headache subsided, he became aware of another kind of pain. He recalled how touching Beloni’s hand had briefly alleviated the curse’s effects before.
The temptation to grab her hand was overwhelming.
As his fingers twitched indecisively, Beloni suddenly grabbed his hand herself.
Startled, Shanur turned to see Beloni smiling at him.
“Is this what you wanted?”
“You…”
“I noticed you kept staring at my hands. Honestly, I massaged your temples to lead up to this. I thought you’d be startled if I just grabbed your hand.”
As she beamed, Shanur belatedly realized his pain was gone.
It had been so long since he’d held anyone’s hand.
From the time he was cursed, Shanur had avoided physical contact. Yet, as Beloni clasped his hand firmly, the pain disappeared.
Shanur couldn’t deny it any longer: Beloni was the only one who could ease his suffering—and maybe even break the curse.
“…Beloni.”
Hearing her name, Beloni’s face lit up.
“Let’s revisit the deal you proposed earlier.”
Beloni blinked in surprise before nodding with a bright smile.
It worked.
As soon as she left Shanur’s room, Beloni couldn’t help but smile.
“Wow…”
She glanced at the contract in her hands with awe (a sense of awe washing over her).
Ten days had passed since she entered the Grand Duke’s residence, and she had finally secured a deal with Shanur.
Their contract negotiations had been straightforward: Beloni needed a “shield,” and Shanur needed someone who could break his curse.
Now, she happily headed to her room.
Marina, who’d grown noticeably plumper from days of rest, greeted her.
“You’re back, my lady!”
“Marina, great news. I succeeded. The Grand Duke agreed to the marriage!”
Marina only knew that Beloni had proposed a contract marriage, omitting the part about breaking the curse.
“He accepted? I honestly thought we’d be kicked out!”
“I was worried too,” Beloni admitted.
But here they were. Shanur had even suggested a wedding date: two months from now.
“Enjoy today, Marina. Things are about to get hectic.”
“Because of the wedding?”
“His Highness plans to announce it tomorrow. You know what that means.”
Marina’s face fell.
“…The Jerem Marquis and Beckham Earldom.”
“They’ll cause trouble.”
Marina groaned, already dreading the chaos.
Alone in her room, Beloni lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling.
The first step was complete.
Her goal was clear: prevent the crown prince’s death and ensure he ascends the throne.
That was the only way to secure a peaceful future for herself and Shanur.
Thank you very much 💗💗💗