Because of one shocking lie, she had lost everything.
What blinded her had been nothing more than an illusion of emotion. She had been forced to love him without ever being given a choice.
If even a single layer of deception had been peeled away, she would have seen clearly just how much that man's cruelty and ugliness had wounded her.
The truth was simple.
She had never liked Kalion in the first place.
The feeling had never existed.
A fabricated emotion had been planted inside her, manipulated and used to deceive her.
Being used by her sister was unbearable enough.
Now an even more terrifying man was trying to kill her.
"So I was just a sacrifice for my sister..."
As death tightened around her throat, making it hard to breathe, fear, confusion, and regret for the years she had lost swirled together into one overwhelming mass.
But as that knot slowly dissolved into tears, resentment began to rise from the emptiness inside her chest.
Under the steady rhythm of gentle pats, Milena gradually calmed down.
Clinging to the last tear trembling on her lashes, she bit her lip once more.
Before her teeth could sink into flesh, a firm hand stopped her.
Lexion's.
"Kalion Luxen."
His voice was cold.
"That idiot still doesn't even know the coffin is empty."
She had intended to leave quietly.
But she didn't want things to end like this.
Logically, the right choice was to run from the insane Grand Duke as quickly as possible.
Yet it felt unbearably unfair.
She had suffered for far too long.
"Unnie."
Her voice trembled.
"I don't know what you're planning, but I'm not going to dance to your tune anymore."
Lariette.
Kalion.
Neither of them would get what they wanted.
She would survive if only to prove their schemes had failed.
And someday—
She would laugh right in their faces.
"You're really angry."
Lexion gently lifted her chin.
His thumb brushed against the lip she had bitten raw.
"You're going to hurt yourself."
Beneath his silver hair, crimson eyes glowed faintly.
The detached gaze he usually wore had been replaced by something dangerous.
Milena's lips parted unconsciously.
"Dangerous?"
"What is?" she asked.
He stared at her.
"Being this beautiful."
At that exact moment, she sniffled.
The mood shattered instantly.
A low laugh escaped him.
She's even prettier than she realizes.
The smile blooming across his impossibly handsome face felt almost unreal.
As though it brightened the entire room.
"I think I might end up liking you."
"Then I guess you like women who cry."
"No."
His voice softened.
"I don't like women who cry."
And yet—
He was wiping away her tears with unbearable tenderness.
Only then did Milena take a proper look at him.
Was it really possible for someone who had collapsed unconscious to recover this quickly?
"Are you alright?"
"As you can see."
Outwardly, both of them looked terrible.
But thanks to her, he had recovered far faster than he should have.
Lexion stroked her cheek and smiled reassuringly.
Milena simply stared at him.
She had no idea what was going on inside his head.
He wasn't an ordinary spy.
He was far too capable.
And if he could evade the Grand Duke's notice, then perhaps—
"The enemy of my enemy is my ally."
Maybe with his help, she could get proper revenge on Kalion.
And escape.
"Do you know who that man was?"
She looked at him intently.
"The one standing beside the Grand Duke."
"..."
Lexion silently gazed down at her.
Apparently, she assumed he would know.
She believed he had infiltrated the estate to gather information.
The truth, however, was quite different.
That wasn't why he had come here.
Should he tell her?
Calculations flickered through those deep red eyes.
Watching her determined expression, he found himself speaking honestly.
"A fraud."
"What?"
The answer was so unexpected that Milena frowned.
"Ever since the Grand Duchess died five years ago, Kalion has been moving in secret."
Lexion continued.
"Searching for a way to bring her back."
His fingers smoothed the crease between her brows.
"Priests. Shamans. Mages."
A mocking smile tugged at his lips.
"Every kind of fraud imaginable came claiming they could resurrect the Grand Duchess."
"And every single one died on the spot."
Lexion tilted his head.
"But strangely enough..."
His gaze darkened.
"That particular fraud earned his trust."
That was the information he had uncovered.
"And it was a puppet."
Milena blinked.
"A pretty skilled fraud, then."
"Maybe."
In Lexion's eyes, the man was among the worst.
And yet...
His abilities were undeniably real.
Even when the puppet was destroyed, it seemed to come back to life again.
"There's probably someone else pulling the strings from behind the scenes."
Milena hesitated.
"Can people really bring souls back from the dead?"
"If magic like that existed, the streets would be overflowing with resurrected corpses."
Lariette had never died in the first place.
There hadn't even been a body.
And yet someone was claiming they could revive her?
Kalion had been completely deceived.
And because of that deception, Milena had nearly lost her life.
She needed to escape.
But before that—
She wanted to strike Kalion where it hurt.
She could never leave quietly.
If she did, the regret would haunt her forever.
And to accomplish that...
She needed something from him.
"Did you come here for personal reasons?"
Her eyes narrowed.
"Or is this a mission?"
Lexion raised an eyebrow.
A smile that looked suspiciously like a sneer touched his lips.
"Why do you ask?"
Milena met his gaze without flinching.
"If you're here for personal revenge..."
She took a breath.
"...I can help you."
"You?"
A laugh escaped him.
"You'll help me?"
Did she not understand how serious her own situation was?
Her wedding—
A wedding tied directly to her survival—
Was only days away.
He had expected her to beg for help.
In fact, he had already made plans to secretly smuggle her out.
Partly because of a deal with a certain young master.
Yet somehow things had veered completely off course.
And that kiss...
That definitely hadn't been part of the plan.
Though, admittedly, neither had the overwhelming nature of her magical power.
Just what is she thinking?
"Then what do you want?" he asked.
"If not that..."
Milena hesitated.
Then spoke.
"Consider it payment for my lips."
Lexion blinked.
He had originally intended to trade the stolen marriage contract for information.
But if she wanted to offer something first...
There was no need to bring it up.
"Fine."
He leaned back.
"Let's hear it."
"Marry me."
"...What?"
"Marry me."
"..."
For a moment, Lexion seriously wondered if anger had finally driven her insane.
Yet, objectively speaking, it was the safest option.
Escape this situation.
Deliver a devastating blow to Kalion.
Accomplish both at once.
That was her priority.
The first step was ruining the Grand Duke's plans.
And by sheer coincidence—
It was also the only way to break her curse.
Of course, from Lexion's perspective, it was a terrible deal.
"So all you have to do is sign the contract."
Milena pressed on.
"Just be my husband for one year—"
"Wait."
Lexion abruptly stepped backward.
"Wait, wait."
He raised both hands.
Covering his face with one large hand, his shoulders began trembling.
What's wrong with him?
Was he shocked?
"Are you alright?"
Milena suddenly looked alarmed.
"Don't tell me..."
Her expression grew serious.
"You're already married?"
That would be a disaster.
Had she just proposed to a married man?
She couldn't become the villainess who stole another woman's husband.
That kind of ending was exactly what Lariette would want.
Concern flickered across her beautiful face.
And finally—
Lexion burst out laughing.
"Hahaha!"
His laughter echoed through the room.
"Hahahaha!"
He doubled over, clutching his stomach.
Milena quickly looked around.
Thankfully, nobody else was there.
But his laughter refused to stop.
A marriage proposal this serious.
And then her immediate concern being whether he already had a wife.
It was ridiculously adorable.
Eventually, he managed to calm down.
Wiping tears from the corners of his eyes, he exhaled.
"Ah, sorry."
His grin remained.
"That was just too funny."
"You think it's funny?"
"Yeah."
He nodded.
"I haven't laughed this hard in a long time."
His eyes sparkled mischievously.
"And this is the least romantic proposal I've ever received."
Milena frowned.
Lexion was still smiling.
"Try again."
"...What?"
"Propose properly."
He picked up a strand of her golden hair and brought it to his lips.
His crimson eyes curved lazily.
"This time..."
His voice dropped.
"Do it right."
A slow smile spread across his face.
"And I'll give you a real answer."
"Mm?"