Chapter 2
Chapter 02
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Glancing back, Dielo shook his head slightly.
"...Are you telling me to touch the dress of a lady I'm meeting for the first time?"
"I gave you permission. More than that..."
I turned to face him.
And pulled his slightly raised hand towards me.
I could see myself reflected in his Blue Eyes.
"This is a matter concerning your and Argenta's fate, shouldn't you confirm it yourself?"
"......"
Dielo, who had hesitated, fell silent for a moment at my words.
Then, he finally rose from his seat.
—Click.
As I turned my back to him again, the sound of my heels echoed particularly loudly in the room.
"......"
And his hand, slowly approaching, soon touched my back.
Even though it only touched the button through the fabric, a strange heat rose up my spine.
I couldn't tell if it was due to tension, or the fire ability that Dielo Argenta wielded.
—Pop.
His hand released the button.
I could feel the area near the nape of my neck, where his name was engraved, being exposed to the air.
"Take a good look. At the proof that I'm a fake."
I bit my lip. This was something I absolutely had to do. I clenched my fist tightly without realizing it.
Krua Alroze can manipulate water.
Although it was said to be a weak ability that couldn't even hold spilled water properly, she couldn't possibly be unable to move the blood within her own body.
Even if it's difficult, I have to move it!
—Flash!
The moment I thought that, a faint blue light leaked from my hand.
And I almost paused.
It's... easier than I thought?
Is Krua's ability more outstanding than it was portrayed in the original work?
Moving the blood within my body was as simple as moving a finger.
Did something change when I possessed her?
"......!"
Meanwhile, Dielo's expression was changing every moment.
Of course.
Because the wound engraved on the exposed back of my neck, between my shoulder blades, was fading.
"This is..."
If it were the real mark of Pero, it couldn't disappear like this.
I turned to face him.
I didn't have time to worry about my slightly loosened clothes.
At this moment, I had to convince Dielo Argenta.
"Duke Alroze forcibly engraved your name on my body."
With the ability to move water, he couldn't possibly be unable to move blood.
"Proof that I'm a fake."
I turned to face him.
My gaze met his Blue Eyes, swirling like a storm.
"Now, are you a little more willing to make a deal with me?"
Can you trust me?
—Thump.
I asked him, leaning on the desk.
As the blood that had been gathered under my skin in the shape of his name moved, a considerable amount of pain was transmitted.
But thankfully, the stinging pain helped me to stay focused.
"Duke Alroze only ordered me to deceive Duke Argenta and become Pero. Offering this deal is my own impulsive action."
I held out my hand.
"In other words, no one in Alloze, let alone Duke Alroze, knows what I'm thinking."
Dielo, who was staring at me as if trying to read my thoughts, slowly opened his mouth.
"A fake Pero... I knew Argenta was being looked down upon, but I didn't know it was to this extent."
His Blue Eyes looked at me.
"Do you think Argenta would let go of someone who tried to deceive the head of the family?"
"No, they wouldn't try to keep me alive."
No matter how gentle Dielo Argenta was said to be.
"That's why I'm proposing a deal. Because I want to live."
At my words, Dielo looked down at the teacup that had become somewhat cold.
"Are you saying that even though you're a fake Pero, there's a reason for me to continue this marriage?"
"Yes. Two reasons."
I answered confidently at his words. Dielo raised his eyebrows slightly.
"First."
I looked straight at Dielo Argenta and continued.
"It's known that the head of Argenta's power is currently the weakest. That's why Alloze of Water and Kartiel of Wind are ignoring Argenta. To the point where they're trying to deceive you with a fake Pero like this."
Looking into his Blue Eyes, I continued.
"If you marry me, you can pretend to be deceived by them. It means you can buy time for when you find the real Pero and gain power."
Duke Alloze will think that if I marry him, Dielo will be completely deceived by the fake Pero.
"Secondly."
I looked down at my fingertips.
"This is Argenta, which protects the Endless Sea. I heard that the defense of the border area of the Endless Sea is becoming difficult because Pero is late."
My gaze turned straight to him.
"Until the real Pero comes, if I, with the power of Alloze, am here, I think it will be helpful in blocking the sea."
In the original work, it was said that Krua Alroze was not properly born with the Water Manipulation Ability.
But as the author separately revealed, the ability is amplified in places where there are many sources of power.
Then, in front of the sea overflowing with water? Even if I can only move a little bit of water, I will be a great force.
I looked down at the teacup in front of me.
If I could move this water more freely, it would be helpful in persuading Dielo.
In the original work, Krua's ability was said to be so weak that she couldn't even hold spilled tea water.
But when I used my ability a little while ago, the blood moved so freely.
Will it work this time?
—Plop!
The water in the teacup jumped upwards, transforming into the same shape as the teacup that contained it.
...Is this a weak ability?
It wasn't difficult to move a cup full of water, not just spilled water.
But I didn't have time to be surprised.
Because at this moment, I had to be a trustworthy dealer.
I stared straight at Dielo.
"......"
When I moved the water, Dielo's gaze turned to the teacup made of water.
From his perspective, having to face the endlessly spreading sea of water with fire, my ability to move water would be tempting.
Will he fall for it?
The moment our eyes met, Dielo opened his mouth.
"...Leaving aside your ability, as you said, I'm not a strong head of the family. Even if you make a deal with me, you won't be able to stop Alloze."
A sorrowful smile.
But that's acting.
It's a lie.
"No, you can stop them."
I denied his words with conviction. Even if I didn't have to bring up the original work, there were enough grounds.
"It's known to the world that you're weak, but if your power was really lacking, most of Argenta would have left."
But the core members of Argenta remain the same.
That meant that the power transmitted from the head of Argenta was not weak.
Nevertheless, the reason why he was treated as a weak head of the family was because he was not skilled at handling the power of the head of the family.
But I, who had seen the original work, knew.
He was just biding his time, waiting to turn the tables, and he was the most powerful head of Argenta in history.
I knew even if I hadn't read to the end.
Unless the introductions and reviews were all lying.
In other words, if I messed up the original work at my level.
If I didn't erase his Lily instead of the real Pero, it meant that he could bloom as the most powerful head of the family.
The problem was buying time until then.
"Duke Alloze is already suspicious of Duke Argenta."
As the saying goes, someone who has done bad things knows it well, and the head of the family did not ignore the subtle sense of unease that he felt, even while looking down on Dielo.
A weak and gentle head of the family, but the defection rate of the vassals is zero.
Duke Alloze, who had doubts about this, even dared to commit the crazy act of using a fake Pero.
If Dielo was really weak, in order to completely defeat Argenta this time.
I leaned closer to him.
His sharply sculpted jawline and sharp nose, as if God had carefully carved them, came closer.
Dielo Argenta. He was called a handsome man since he was a child because of his distinct features.
He was wavering. It was time to give him certainty.
"I really have no intention of seducing Duke Argenta."
Dielo's gaze turned to me.
"If I steal your abilities and potential as Duke Alloze planned, I will become someone who is not welcomed in either Alloze or Argenta."
A pawn that is no longer needed in Alloze. A shameless person who stole the head of the family's ability in Argenta.
"If I don't believe your words, what are you going to do, coming all the way here?"
Dielo's cautious gaze examined me again.
"I thought you would be wise enough to accept this offer."
I let out a short breath.
If I fail in the deal, I die. So be as confident as possible.
I straightened my back.
"As I said before, let's get married."
Getting married doesn't change anything.
"Spend the night as Alloze wants."
The moment Dielo's expression was about to harden at my words. I continued softly.
"—Instead."
I held out my hand to his snow-white hand.
"Just hold hands."
Pretend to spend the night with you. Until your real Pero comes.
Dielo's eyes widened at my words.
"Until Duke Argenta's real Pero appears, let Alloze and Kartiel be careless, and then sweep away Alloze with the ability that bloomed with Pero."
According to the original work, the real Pero appears about two months after Krua enters as a fake Pero.
Until then, make the opponent careless.
I held out my hand.
"You... will have enough ability to do that."
This would be an irresistible and attractive deal for Dielo Argenta.
There are many who aim for him, and there will be no one who wants to be on his side.
And the one who came to be on his side was Krua Alroze, the opponent's hidden card.
"Is that the lady's condition for the deal?"
Dielo's Blue Eyes examined me. I nodded lightly.
"Yes. In exchange for this contractual marriage, get rid of Alloze and protect me. Duke Dielo Argenta."
At my words, Dielo stroked his lips as if contemplating.
A long silence. A long deliberation.
It was the moment when I thought his Blue Eyes, which were clearly like a faint sea, looked like the deep sea.
Dielo soon opened his mouth. A soft smile appeared on his lips.
"Okay. From now on, call me Dielo."
He held out his hand to me.
"As known to both families, I will marry Lady Krua. And we will have our first night at the upcoming wedding..."
His Blue Eyes closed.
"From that day on, I will gradually lose the opportunity to bloom."
A sorrowful voice echoed.
"—But it will be pretending to lose it."
Dielo, who said that, came to me.
Surprised, I stepped back without realizing it, and he, who came closer, put his hand on my back.
In the meantime.
"Please allow me to show some belated courtesy, Lady."
He smiled faintly.
"......Ah."
I relaxed for a moment and slumped my shoulders.
—Click.
The button of the dress that had been released by his hand was fastened again.
It was when I was trembling from the strange heat and tension that was encroaching on my back and neck.
—Poof.
He took off the jacket of the uniform he was wearing and put the clothes on my exposed back.
Warmth enveloped me.
He smiled at me. The deal was done.
The original work, began to go wrong.
