The Predator’s Contract Partner

“My knights have an innocent side to them.”

“Yes,”

Elisha lightly nodded her head in agreement.

“They are good people.”

“You should see them run wild on the battlefield.”

“Are there any people who are wholly good out there? The bad guy on my side is the good guy. Now we’re on the same boat.”

Besides, Elisha has only seen their good side so far. Lucerne replied a beat late, savoring the sweetness of her answer.

“You’re right.”

“…….”

“So my naive knights believed you, but I didn’t. What did you pull? Trickery? What would you do if you hadn’t been stabbed?”

“I tried to proceed by drawing cards or competing in a game to win,”

Elisha replied with composure.

“The stunt was real. It’s true that I hid the card in my sleeve. But I didn’t have to cheat, because I got hurt. So I just put the card in my sleeve and got it back.”

“You know how to do everything don’t you? Did you learn that at the monastery too?”

“The winter in the monastery is cold and long. Moreover, when the season of strengthening the faith comes, noble youths are sometimes not allowed to go out for more than a month. When that happens, there’s nothing but card games to play,”

she replied dispassionately.

In addition, Jacob loved gambling card games. He would sometimes stay for several days at a time in a mansion where aristocrats played card games. Carola would make her fetch him at such times. Elisha would go to his location and secretly hand him cards. Then he would use that card to win the game to recoup his original bet. Jacob didn’t like to waste a single penny in vain.

‘I’ve done all sorts of things, haven’t I?’

When she thought of her past life, she could help but laugh at herself in self-deprecation.

“Why was it supposed to be a card game?”

“When you attend parties, you learn a lot. The mayor of Yurif is a card game fanatic. Such a person always has cards in the office. The structure of the office was given to me in advance.”

“What if that had not been the case?”

“I had about fifteen backup plans and measures to take in place. All of them led to a victory. I was determined to win no matter what. And even if after all that we had lost, I would have caught them by their weaknesses and would have taken it back.”

“I am at a loss for words,”

Lucerne said calmly. Men usually hated strong, sharp women, so Elisha thought he might have gotten tired of her.

“What do you think is the difference between you, Arien, and Carola?”

“I do not know. Well… perhaps, I just won’t give up. No matter what —and by all means— I am persistent and tenacious.”

“You’re like me. You know what? We’re a pretty good couple,”

Lucerne’s whispering words were like a gangster seducing a woman. Elisha was surprised. At first, she thought he gave off an ascetic air. Now there was another side to him. He was always new.

“I guess so, for now.”

But in the future, Lucerne would become immeasurable because he would undoubtedly become the Lord and Head of the family. By then, it would be her time to disappear.

“I’ve been thinking.”

“What?”

“About you.”

“…….”

“Do you want to be the wife of a Duke?”

Lucerne was impassive. She shook her head. They were both rational people. He was probably wondering why Elisha was so dedicated.

“No, my terms do not change. I will leave when you succeed.”

“Then, why are you doing this?”

“Everything I said is true. Nothing has changed in my mind. I want the best man to be the Head, and I hope that Jacob will never hurt me again.”

“…….”

“If you think I am useful, please just send me a lot of money when I leave. Because I want to live a peaceful, quiet and prosperous life until the day I die,”

Elisha said evenly. But, far from being convinced, he gave off a darker and darker aura.

“Elisha,”

said Lucerne.

“I have a strong suspicion. I know you’re not Jacob’s spy. But, I also know you are lying to me. However, I don’t know which part.”

Elisha was startled. At that moment, she had glimpsed his wildness. On a hellish battlefield, in childhood surrounded by enemies. The instinct and sense that saved him. It was demonstrated to her now.

“I don’t know why you’re trying to prove something to me. Revenge on Jacob? Do you hate him so much for killing your father?”

She clasped her hands. Even she didn’t know that. At first, she thought she just wanted to live. Either she is taken in by Jacob or sold to a brothel. She was determined to do whatever she could if she could only avoid that terrible future.

However……. Under Lucerne, the treatment was better than expected. The Seeds were kind, and the butler respected her. Lucerne was… …. was a little difficult, but he didn’t hit or swear at her.

Above all, he was a man worth following. It was enough to understand why his knights were so loyal.

She was being treated the way she had always wanted to be treated now. She was treated like a precious person where her opinions were valuable.

So when she recalled Jacob, Carola, Marco, etc., her anger aroused at all those who trampled on her during her previous life.

It was unusual that revenge and bitter retribution were the only things she could think of worth living for. But, if it was a life worth living, she thought it would only be right to have more positive sentiments.

But— ‘I must have been born this way,’ Elisha thought.

“You’re not wrong, but it doesn’t have anything to do with my father. I just want to prove it.”

“What do you want to prove?”

“I… … .”