Chương 17: Are you serious?

My mind concaved within itself with disbelief. She can't remember anything from her past life? Plonk. No Haru. Just Vanessa? No answer... If the blue box of knowledge isn't sure. Something fucky was going on. A ll the planning, the work... To save her. The salarywoman from South Korea. The woman who saved Freidland. The Saintess. Slowly, in my haze, things piece together. She should have regained her memory after the cursed beast attack. After Jen died. Was this my fault for interfering in things?

By messing with the plot, did I fuck things up? Plonk, plonk, I sighed my stress away. Haru was pertinent to my plans. The people needed her to make this city, no, this country, better. I needed them for the catastrophe set to come. I needed her. Fuck me… I clutched my Heart, looking into her curious eyes. A pin dropped in my mind. I realised I was alone. No family to trust. A world too unfamiliar. I wanted someone with me. To talk about my troubles. To solve problems with. To fight together with.

To talk about earth and our pasts. With someone with a shared fate. I am truly alone. Plonk.

"-rion. TARION." Eyes focused, and Vanessa came in close with worried eyes.

"Are you well…?" I rolled my shoulders.

"Yes. I was just thinking about Burdid pies and how fucking delicious they are!" Vanessa showed a small smile, her eyes still showing worry.

"I am alright, Vanessa. I am... just coming to terms with the fact that I am actually married. Married to you..." We should have been making plans tonight. Plans for Osberg for FreidLand. For war. She moved to bow.

"Sorry, Your Grace! Someone lowly as I-" I held her up, feeling her shaking in my fingertips.

"No." I let her go like a scalding iron pot.

"No... Never call yourself lowly." I saw Vanessa gulp. Her body tensed, then relaxed. She focused on me. Slowly, she came off the mattress. Her robe hugged her sultry form as she strode towards me. She was so close that I could feel the heat of her breath. I looked down, my sight tracing down from her neck to... my heart rate increased, feeling my chest pound. Oh no… She grabbed her sash, untying it slowly.

"Your Grace... Shall we..."

"Vanessa!" I grasped her hand, drawing it away.

"We don't have to do this! You don't need to do anything!" Her other hand reached down below. I grabbed a bit too hard on her forearm.

"Isn't this why you wanted to meet late at night? I l-l-learnt it is customary with noble... Is it me? I am not good enough, Your Grace?" Her voice trembled. I looked into her teary eyes, and I spoke softly.

"No, it's not you. I just came to ask... Shit..." I let her frail arms go.

"I know this is not what you truly want." Tears ran down her face as she sank to the wood floor.

"My father said I was to care for you; it's my duty… my mother-""I will make sure your mother- your blood mother - is well. Your father has no control over you here or anywhere, as you are my duchess. My equal." Her eyes do not stop raining. It seems words are as unbelievable as her father's. Too many expectations of a girl who has been pushed about all her life with no agency. So much stress has been building up within her; the battle in the blizzard was the last shake before she exploded.

With the power I wield, I had forgotten what kind of world this is for a woman like her. She can't cut down her troubles as easily as I. I exhaled, bringing her to a chair and kneeling close to her with my hand on hers.

"We are not so different, you and I. Stuck in a marriage that neither of us wanted." Her sore, wet eyes flicked at me.

"Yes, this whole ordeal was out of my control. I was the sickly duke after all. It was easy to pretend to be me and forge documents without me knowing a thing." Vanessa's attention was on my every word.

"But you know what? I am a stubborn bastard. Not the kind to take the abuse." Her attention was still on me; I declared.

"We can get a divorce." Her eyes, like fallen leaves, widened, and she sat up straight as if blown away by the news.

"Divorce?! Is that even possible?"

"Yes, hard but possible."

"But the marriage was approved and registered by the church. No one but the lands above can break such a marriage."

"We can get it annulled."

"But annulment would mean one of us is unfaithful..."

"No one's reputation shall be sullied. All that is needed is evidence. Proof of fraud. And I already have it locked in my dungeon" Vanessa, eyes red like her silk robe, scanned the floor in thought.

"But my father has plans for this place that cannot be derailed."

"I am aware of his… machinations. I will make sure none of his plans takes hold in my duchy." The reins her father has on her are tight. The original Vanessa needed Haru as much as I did.

"Divorce… Will I be free to do as I wish afterwards?" A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

"The point of a divorce is that what you do after means shit all to me. Haha." You will be free to meet your ML.

"So... what do you say, milady, up for a divorce?" She sat still. Her head ruminating through my decisions and directions. I spoke, " I will sweeten the deal. I will compose a contract declaring I will provide a stipend to spend for the rest of your life after we divorce. Whether you marry... someone else or not. The money will be yours. What's a good amount, huh? 200 silver marks a year? 500 marks?" That struck her like a lightning bolt.

"Surely you jest, Your Grace. Giving the duchies last season's expenditure and don't think you frivolously spend money like this." She squeezed her mouth as if she was lying. She did her research.

"That is simply," I drew closer to her.

"-how much you are worth, my dear." I was close. I could feel it. She was convinced. A hodge is still a hodge. Magpies learned from that gold-loving family.

"Well? Deal?" To my surprise, she sat up and began to walk around my mother's room. Her fingers caressed the small library filled with stories she would read to me. Finally, at the desk, she stopped. She looked to me. Determination flared in her eyes.

"No."

"Alright!" Slapped my knees as I stood up.

"Glad we could make a de- Whuut!?" I shook my head, ridding my mind of confusion and failing.

"I can understand why you are a bit apprehensive. I have already started the process of gathering evidence of the fraud. And I have written to the King for a possible annulment. So soon, we should expect some news. But when you decide for yourself that truly you want it, it will be done at your word!" Like daggers, her eyes stared. Not a flinch. No hesitation in her normally soft voice.

"No." She stepped around the desk and held my hands. Her hot hands, and I was swallowed by her eyes, reminding me of the amber leaves of autumn.

"I want to make this work. Do you?"

"Land above..." My eyes creased, feeling that if I stared at her beauty long enough, I would turn to stone.

"You can have the freedom you have wanted. Why...?

"Why?" She looked down at her small hands barely grasping onto mine.

"Why would I leave, when I have finally found a good man?" A Good Man? She knows nothing of me.

"Mmm." I exhaled.

"You are committed?" She nodded her head.

"I see." Really, it doesn't change much. She will find herself in his arms again.

"Then I want you to know, Vanessa." I bent closer untill my voice moved her curly hair.

"Although this is a marriage of convenience, I am your partner and a friend. As long as we are tied together, I will protect you. Within my reach, you will be guarded from all who come to harm you. And my reach is far and wide. So calm your mind and heart. You are safe here." She believed my words. Close to her neck felt the tug. Her nape was open. I felt like a beast, ready to ravage her whole.

"Your Grace..." Her hand traced up my arm to my shoulder, spreading goosebumps. I jumped back like a cat.

"Have a good rest, Duchess." I let her hand slip off mine. A silent wave goodbye, and I left the duchess's suite. I stood outside her door. Emotions tumbled together in my mind; I rubbed my face, fingertips chafed against my skin like rubber burn. Running my hand through my hair, I made up my mind. Blue? Can she still be the Saintess? Plonk.

"Good. Then help her, I shall. Mission still goes on." Blue box seemed to loathe the Male lead, and the female lead won't leave my side? What a weird day.

Next morning. Since I left Vanessa's side, the blue have been deathly silent. Leaving me alone to ruminate on what ought to be done, I spent hours with my mind churning. They left this for me to solve, so if I must do it alone, I will have to do it my way. I needed to trim the fat. Get rid of those who drag her down. Build her up strong so she won't need me as her keeper. Pull the weed out so the rose may blossom. If reincarnation cannot change her, she will change herself.

All she needs is a little push in the right direction. My feet crunched on the snow on a cold morning as I jogged around my castle for the fifth time. I ran up to Beatrice, holding a tray of water. Charles stood beside her with a towel, which I took and used.

"Charles, could you please ask the duchess and her friend to come down to the dining room?"

"Certainly, Your Grace." And he walked off to do as I ordered. Finally alone, I took a step closer to Beatrice, my voice hushed.

"Any Umbra in Hamber?" She nodded.

"Search for the Duchess' mother. Bring her to a safe house until I decide it's the right time."

"Yes, your grace." I took the jug, chugging it down.

"Sebastian Hodge. What do you know?" Beatrice received the jug.

"Manager of the Grandi company. A large enterprise with its toes in a multitude of industries. He is a very temperamental man. Harsh on his employees. Rude to anyone, not him in general. Ruthless in trying to get what he wants. The only thing stopping his ambitions is the simple fact of his lower birth." Although Osberg is not food-rich, we are resource-rich. Timber for ships, copper and iron and tools and weapons. And most importantly, Coal. Our black gold.

In the age of stronger ships, metric tonnes of the stuff can be transported anywhere in the world and sold for a fortune. And Osberg happened to sit on the largest depository of coal in the country. Such a tempting prize for crooked businessmen like Hodge. Unfortunately for him, I am alive and well. And with these lands under my direct control. I own it all. A monopoly Apple would be proud of. I make the rules, I set the standards, and I choose the price. I should.

Making what my former mayor did even more brazen and malicious. The people of my land need not suffer the prices he set just to keep their houses warm. So if I had died like a good boy, Joshua would have been awarded everything. Leading to my land and people being exploited by the Grandi company.

"Do you think they're going to try to kill me again?" Beatrice was silent before saying, "Of course, Your Grace. You have severely messed with their schedule. It would be prudent for them to do so."

"How fun." And I would not be their only target.

"Those in the dungeon, are they safe?"

"They are secure."

"Mmm. Get the treasurer ready for a visit from me. I have a punishment in mind for him."

"Yes, Your Grace."

"And one question."

"Ask, sire."

"Where did you find such a robe?" My maid's eyes turned away from me, and I stifled my laughter.

"But seriously, where?" My knife scraped butter to lather it on freshly made bread. I sat alone in the dining room, reading a mana guide, meditating on my ambient mana, and researching ways to use the special magic essence that flows within my body. With my Scholar skill, my reading speed and understanding of texts increased, giving me the proficiency to read at least a quarter of a book a day. At this rate, I will be able to learn how to control runes soon enough.

Footsteps clacked on the wooden floor, and I paused midway between bites. Jen arrived with Vanessa, locking their arms together and laughing. She seemed well. Skin brighter. Less weight on her small shoulders. They noticed me; Jen curtsied, "Jen Walters, Your Grace." I nodded back. Vanessa went to imitate, only to be stopped and chided by her friend. Ah… she is not alone. Not anymore. Because of my efforts, he now had a true friend by her side. It was worth it.

I gave her a wink and a smile, and her freckled cheeks reddened.

"Good Morning, your-" Jen pinched Vanessa.

"My h-husband, you have asked for us?"

"Ah, yes." I placed my book down.

"Exciting day. You two are coming on a trip with me. And you can't say no." They looked at each other, then back at me. Jen spoke out, "Where might we be going, Your Grace?" I smiled wide.

"To a very famous street." Jen brightened up like a sparkler. Vanessa started eating, unamused.

"We are going shopping!"