The Tower Master. A mysterious figure whose face remained unknown. When news broke of a new Tower Master, emissaries were sent from all over, but all were turned away.
It was said that the new Tower Master was of a reclusive nature.
Wait—then was that puppet seen in the ducal city also under the Tower Master’s control? If so, it made sense.
Only someone on the level of the Tower Master could exert such power—to control and manipulate puppets and information with such precision. And if they could even deceive the Grand Duke, it was all the more understandable.
Ha. And this powerhouse was supposedly the Grand Duchess’s secret lover? He rubbed at the corner of his mouth, stifling a laugh.
This was incredibly valuable information. As he gathered his thoughts, he looked at Milena—his wife, who so casually handed him such a lovely and charming piece of information.
“This is worth far more than just a dress.”
“Didn’t we agree it was for a kiss?”
“Mm, those are different. This is worth quite a bit more.”
“Then, let’s deduct the dress and forget about the change.”
She’d said it just to ruin Lariette’s plans anyway. The more people who knew, the more likely her schemes would fail.
“I’m a man of precise calculations. Hmm… What would my dear wife need, I wonder? Anything in particular?”
He gently tucked her hair behind her ear and whispered closely. As he drew near, Milena, thinking about what she wanted, answered absentmindedly.
“Have you ever been deeply in love with someone?”
“Hmm?”
Lexion blinked at the unexpected question.
“I’ve never been liked by a man, not even once at this age, so I don’t really understand that kind of thing. I never imagined I’d get married either. But someone once told me—falling in love makes you truly happy.”
Though memories of her sister were the most vivid, she still remembered her mother.
Her mother once told her, while holding her as a child: “If you marry someone you love, you’ll be truly happy.”
That was a feeling Milena had never known in her life. She had been so desperate for it, having never possessed it. It was something built entirely from imagination—something that always remained out of reach.
She had spent her whole life begging for love. Having lived through false emotions, she now wanted to experience something real.
“If I get the chance…”
She looked into his red eyes and thought to herself:
“I want to experience something genuine—without having to beg for it.”
Maybe this man could be her chance. He seemed like the type who’d accept even an outrageous request. For some reason, she felt certain of it.
He wasn’t someone she loved, but he was her husband. Love… maybe she could give it a try. The order of things was reversed, but it didn’t seem like such a bad idea.
After all, for the next year, he couldn’t be with another woman. Their marriage contract had strict penalties for infidelity—punishments akin to curses. True, noblemen could often pay their way out, but still.
“Want to try it for a while?”
“You mean… pretend to be in a heartfelt relationship?”
“Mm, maybe something like physical affection? Or, since we already like each other, we could just say we’re dating?”
“With me?”
“Well, who else? You’re my husband right now.”
“That’s true.”
“Who’s going to complain if a married couple dates? You’re not the type to care about rumors anyway.”
“Right.”
Lexion, responding almost mechanically, just nodded like a broken doll. Was it the stale air? He felt warm all over. His ears had turned bright red.
“If you don’t want to, forget it. I won’t ask for change.”
As she turned to leave, he immediately grabbed her hand. Lifting it, he kissed it and gave a subtle, sly smile.
“If my wife wants it, then I’ll do it.”
“But, have you ever loved someone before?”
Hmm. He had pretended plenty of times…
“Who knows? Maybe I’ll figure it out as we go.”
In other words, he didn’t know either. Since neither of them really understood such emotions, she figured they could stumble through it together.
“Let’s give it a shot. Just this once—for both of us. When we do this, white mana gets absorbed, right?”
“Ah, yeah. That’s right.”
Lexion flinched slightly at Milena’s kiss, but he didn’t resist.
Whatever his change of heart, now that she’d opened the door, he planned to make the most of this opportunity. Her unexpected proposal actually pleased him.
In fact, wasn’t he gaining more from this than what he was supposed to pay for the information?
Well, no matter. He’d just give her more in return. While she stayed by his side, he’d give her only the best.
As the white mana and her breath came deeper, desire mixed in without either of them realizing.
“Auntie! Are you done yet?”
What had begun as a mild kiss became heated—and finally ended.
“Auntie!”
Ashid’s voice made them pull apart. Somehow, didn’t they look just like parents sneaking a kiss behind their child’s back?
As their moist lips parted and they stared dazedly at each other, both burst into laughter.
“Don’t Be Fooled by a Pretty Face!”
Sensing the subtly changed atmosphere, Ashid suddenly exclaimed:
“Auntie, don’t trust good-looking guys! You can’t be fooled by a face!”
Where was this kid learning stuff like that? At Ashid’s grumbling, Gerard nodded solemnly.
“Your insight is impressive, young master.”
“Hmph, of course. Do you know whose nephew I am?”
Why so smug, Ashid? On top of that, Gerard had no qualms about dissing his own master.
Milena expected a sharp rebuke, but when she looked at Lexion, he said nothing. He was only looking at her.
His eyes sparkled like a man in love, but why could she see right through his act? It felt as if even his emotions were laid bare before her, unaffected by magic.
Still, maybe she’d let herself be fooled. A year-long romance didn’t sound so bad. A reward for all the hardship she had endured.
“So, when is the carriage coming?”
To this, Gerard replied proudly:
“Here it comes. Looks like it was sent directly from Silbert.”
A massive carriage, drawn by twelve horses, rolled up to the Count’s estate. The sight was so grand that all the household staff came rushing out to stare.
It was the finest carriage from the Silbert Duchy—traveling swiftly with magic through different territories. Its majesty left everyone wide-eyed.
Milena walked to the carriage on Lexion’s arm. It felt a bit much, but she decided to enjoy it. Who could stop a rich man from spending his money?
“Milena.”
As they approached the carriage, the Countess called out to her from behind. Neither the Count nor Lariette’s birth mother was in sight. But no one cared.
“Will you be alright?”
Milena wasn’t sure what the Countess meant. Even as she spoke to her, the woman was looking at Lexion.
“Lexion Silbert. I may come from a fallen noble house, but I still have connections in the capital.”
Though she may not know much about the North, she was well aware of the central region. That’s what the Countess was implying. Just as Milena was infamous in the North, Lexion’s reputation was notorious in the capital.
“What are you…?”
Before Milena could ask, Lexion spoke first.
“My wife is not someone to be swayed by gossip.”
There were three pairs of eyes fixed on him at that remark—the Countess, Ashid, and Milena, who looked at him as if asking what do you mean by that?
Lexion broke into a cold sweat. He was used to using his own rumors—not being flustered by them.
The Countess’s gaze shifted to Milena, who was still holding onto Lexion’s arm.
“Milena.”
Not knowing what this was about, but seeing her husband’s awkwardness, Milena spoke first.
“I won’t regret my choice.”
“In that case—”
“Yes.”
“Then that’s enough. Live well.”
“Thank you. I’ll be going now.”
“If you have nowhere else to go, you can always return.”
Milena nodded politely. But she had no intention of coming back. She was severing ties with the North.
“Goodbye. Please stay healthy.”
The Countess looked fragile standing alone. It seemed she would struggle to manage the estate by herself, but Milena steeled her heart and walked forward. Her grip tightened on Lexion’s arm. Her heart ached, seeing her mother’s reflection in the Countess—but they had chosen different paths.
“Don’t worry, darling. I’ll assign someone to watch over things.”
“That’s not necessary… Actually, thank you.”
“Think nothing of it.”
After a moment of thought, Milena let go of Lexion’s arm and walked back to the Countess. She embraced the woman who looked so lonely. The Countess’s expression cracked in surprise.
Milena whispered into her ear.
“If you want a divorce, send a letter to the Ducal House. I’ll be there for a year.”
“A year? What do you mean?”
Milena simply smiled.
“I’ll try to make sure the Count’s wealth ends up with you.”
It was her way of repaying the woman’s kindness.
I may be escaping now—but I hope you find a way out someday too. I hope you find someone you truly love, not just the Count.
“I’ll be going.”
She didn’t look back. This was finally goodbye to this wretched place.
