Chapter 17
When Damon and I greeted Duke Rackton in turn, he smiled with obvious satisfaction.
“Welcome, Craig. Clarissa, it’s been a while. Why haven’t you visited your family at all? Paver had a hard time preparing the pre-party all alone.”
I grumbled inwardly—what did Paver struggling alone have to do with me?—but still lowered my head.
“…I’m sorry.”
“That’s enough. Remember, considering Paver raised you alone after losing his wife, marriage doesn’t mean you live like any other person.”
So, in other words, not helping with the Duke’s household after getting married was considered unfilial.
“I’ll take your words to heart, Your Grace.”
What I meant was different: I’d hear them, but I had no intention of obeying.
‘Am I crazy? Helping with the Duke’s household even after marriage?’
The place hadn’t even paid her properly. Duke Rackton’s eldest son, Frederick, constantly harassed her, and Aileen started each day tormenting Clarissa.
Even witnessing such a life of constant suffering, Clarissa’s father, Paver, remained silent.
His silence hurt more deeply than Frederick and Aileen’s direct torment.
Until she married Damon and left the Duke’s estate, home had been neither safe nor comfortable for Clarissa.
‘Until her last moments, Clarissa was grateful to Damon.’
Her gratitude went beyond love. To repay the one who had saved her from hell, Clarissa sacrificed herself, bending everything to Damon.
“Then, Clarissa, enjoy the party. Aileen will come out to the hall when His Highness Valentine arrives; congratulate her then.”
The party had already started, but Valentine had not arrived, so his fiancée couldn’t just wait alone.
She was probably gnawing at her nails while watching the hall from the window.
“Let’s go over there.”
Damon took my hand and led me to a table under the shade of trees.
The noblewomen already seated fluttered their fans excitedly as he approached.
Even knowing their reactions, Damon didn’t meet their eyes. He was an expensive man in every sense, and that haughty demeanor only increased his popularity.
As he neared, the fans fluttered faster, carrying the scent of perfume. Damon suddenly stopped.
“Shall we dance?”
“W-What?”
“Let’s dance like them. Why not?”
At a formal engagement party, the couple—Valentine and Aileen—would have to dance first before others could join.
But this was a pre-party, and Valentine hadn’t shown up, leaving the atmosphere dull. Some couples were dancing to liven things up.
It was their way of salvaging a dreary party under gloomy weather.
“Damon, we’ve never danced together. We didn’t even dance at our wedding.”
“Exactly. That’s why we’re doing it today.”
Without waiting for my reply, Damon pulled me tightly against his waist.
As he began moving with the music, my mind went blank.
I had never danced in this world, nor learned ballroom dancing.
I was certain my awkward steps would end up stepping on his feet.
Damon drew me closer against his chest and whispered:
“Relax and enjoy it, Clarissa.”
His whisper seemed magical; a warmth surged from deep inside, and my feet lifted lightly.
My body began moving like an automaton, and my heart swayed with it.
The corners of Damon’s lips lifted. I could almost believe he was enjoying this moment, too.
My heart pounded wildly, and an indescribable warmth filled my chest.
Recognizing that this was pure joy, I was stunned.
I couldn’t believe I was enjoying dancing with him so much.
These were Clarissa’s emotions, yet they felt like my own. My nose tingled, and tears of happiness threatened to fall.
‘This is likely our first and last dance. Enjoy it.’
I focused solely on dancing.
“Stay put until I return. Understand?”
His voice brushed my ear, chillingly cold.
“Where would I go if I’m at the party?”
He twirled me, so I couldn’t respond. The cool breeze ruffled my hair as it passed.
When the dance ended, he gave me a radiant smile I had never seen before.
“For a first dance, that was splendid, Clarissa.”
He stepped back and bowed formally.
“Madam, a beautiful dance. I shall return shortly; will you wait for me?”
Hearing him use formal speech snapped me awake like from a dream. I realized all eyes were on us.
I spread my dress and bowed to Damon. He smiled faintly and turned toward the estate.
‘He looks like a warrior heading into battle.’
As I anxiously followed him, my gaze caught Aileen watching the garden through the estate window.
Was he going to meet Aileen? No matter who Damon met, it didn’t matter. I only had to follow my plan.
“His Highness Valentine has arrived. Everyone, go greet him!”
Duke Rackton, in high spirits, called out, and everyone rose to welcome Valentine.
I glanced where Damon had walked but he had already disappeared.
‘Today, I must get the grimoire.’
Having come and gone to Rackton’s estate many times, Damon had tracked the location of the grimoire.
Recently, through clairvoyance, he discovered it was hidden in the Duke’s bedroom.
Was it hidden under the floorboards or above the ceiling?
It wasn’t something he would use daily, so surely it was hidden out of reach.
Finding the location and stealthily taking the grimoire would take time.
The pre-engagement party was perfect—everyone’s attention would be elsewhere.
He danced with Clarissa to draw all eyes.
Seeing him spin the dazzlingly beautiful Clarissa, Duke Rackton relaxed completely.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Damon slipped into the estate.
Once he had the grimoire, he could complete the sealed power of Rochen. Damon’s current abilities were clumsy compared to Rochen’s.
Even the abilities he had as a child had been sealed with Rochen’s grimoire.
For the empire’s peace, for order. And at the Emperor’s urging for control.
Arriving on the second floor, where the Duke’s bedroom was, Damon heard voices approaching with the swish of dresses.
He quickly conjured a magical veil to hide.
Inside, he could see out, but outside, the veil looked like a normal corridor wall.
“I’ll poison Clarissa’s champagne. You distract her attention. Got it?”
“Don’t worry. But it’s not lethal, right? I don’t want to get involved in murder, even for Lady Aileen.”
Goodness! Shaking at the wickedness of Aileen and the maids, Damon waited until they passed.
One maid giggled as she walked past.
“It’s not poison, just an aphrodisiac. Funny if she jumps at any man. Hohoho.”
Once the maids left, Damon removed the magical veil.
Rackton’s bedroom was only a few steps away.
‘I have to open that door and get the grimoire…’
Frozen for a moment, Damon finally stepped forward.
‘Opportunities don’t come often.’
If it rained, the outdoor party would move to the central hall. The Duke would go to his bedroom to change before the evening banquet.
Damon had to get the grimoire before then.
He entered the Duke’s bedroom. Though it was daytime, thick curtains blocked the windows, making the room dark.
He could light candles with magic, but didn’t bother—the grimoire would be hidden.
To locate it via clairvoyance, he touched the armrest of the Duke’s favorite chair.
Many memories were surely stored there.
As his hand touched the oak, images flashed in Damon’s mind.
Frederick stood in front of Duke Rackton, discontent and cocky.
【I can’t kill Craig.】
Rackton said irritably. Frederick spoke:
【If I only kill him, I’ll remarry as Father wishes, to the Marchioness of Monteran.】
After losing his wife in a carriage accident, Frederick had refused remarriage.
Rumors even claimed he had orchestrated the accident, unable to tolerate married life.
People whispered it was because he resembled Rackton.
Rackton himself had six children from three duchess wives and an illegitimate child from a woman of unknown status, yet now he was alone.
His last surviving wife had gone home, claiming illness, and never returned.
Who could live peacefully with the Racktons? They acted as if bloodlust drove them.
They killed without reason, challenged duels, and always spilled blood.
To beasts, hunting is survival; to the Racktons, it was entertainment.
Crushing the weak and watching them suffer gave them a sense of superiority—cruelty ran in their blood.
【Still hung up on Clarissa? Both you and Aileen are idiots!】
The Duke threw a teacup. Smash! It hit Frederick’s forehead, blood streaming down.
【Snap out of it before you toss Clarissa into your bedroom!】
As the image faded, Damon touched the tea table the Duke often used.
A surge of power flashed in his mind.
【The heir acts like this… what will become of Rackton’s future? If only immortality were possible…】
The Duke muttered while placing the grimoire on the table.
【If only I knew that only Rochen’s pure blood could break the seal, I wouldn’t have killed the young Rochen.】
He lamented, flipping through pages he couldn’t even read. Damon shook his head fiercely.
‘Your life is now in my hands!’
He ground his teeth.
