Dont do this.

Elisha felt chills.

Unfortunately, if you want in here you have to sell your body to buy it. If you dont want to do that, shouldnt you at least beg?

Elishas body trembled.

She couldnt figure out why he was doing this. Elisha felt like she was going to break down and collapse. She couldnt stand this- it was utterly unbearable. Tears, swollen and heavy, welled up in her eyes, blocking her vision. Lucerne quietly looked down at her.

At least take off the shackles.

Elisha held back her tears, trying to speak as calmly as possible.

Good,

Lucerne said.

Thats how you should ask. Good girl.

And only then were the shackles on her ankles removed. Elisha smoothed her ankles.

Calm down. Breath. Lets calm down.

Elisha had now fallen into Lucernes hands. Why was he angry?

By creating an account under a borrowed name behind his back. You probably thought I would run away.

Would he believe her if she told him it wasnt like that? No. Its meaningless now. Instead, Elisha decided to protest about the terms of the contract.

I know you dont trust me. But I didnt lie to you, and I didnt betray you. Let me go. I will never do anything stupid behind your back again,

Elisha spoke up coldly.

So, lets continue to fulfill our contract once again.

Contract?

Lucerne said kindly as if it was a fond memory.

Ah, good. Enough with pretense. I had no intention of keeping the terms of the contract in the first place.

. . . . . . What-? Why. . . . . . .

Elishas eyes widened.

Do you remember the details of the contract? Our contract is a transaction of status and information, and if there is a flaw in whats to be traded, this deal is invalidated.'

Elisha remembered the contents of the contract. Lucerne said he would prevent her betrayal. If she gave false information. If there was a flaw in status. In that case, the contract marriage was invalidated.

Why do you say that?

From the beginning, this deal was ridiculous. Because you lied about the source of your information.

. . . . . . .

Elisha felt an ominous foreboding.

I dont know where you heard it or how you know about it,

Lucerne whispered.

You told me. You wandered through secret passageways and gathered information. For years.

. . . . . . thats right.

Did you know that Jacob had a mental illness?

. . . . . . .

Elisha froze. This was indeed the first time she had heard of this information. Jacob sometimes had trouble controlling his emotions. So, he showed a tendency toward violence. But she didnt know he had any illnesses in the past.

No, there are no records of hospitalization. He has never gone to a nursing home. Surely Jacob has been living between the dukes residence and the capitals residence for several years.

Elisha was careful not to get caught in Lucernes potential trap.

That cute little ghost story. Lets start from there. The office Jacob used was his dead fathers. Its the place Stephen used to use.

In an old mansion, each family member has assigned rooms. Even the rooms location was a matter of symbolism and power in such places. Lucerne had long been unable to use the third floor where family members resided. However, Jacob inherited the office that his father had used.

It was the room used by successors, the eldest son, and the eldest grandson for generations. That room was a symbol of Jacobs power.

So?

He saw his fathers ghost in that room. Until just a few years ago.

Elishas body stiffened.

So he pretended to use the office. He thought that his grandfather would look at him with scorn if he found out he was having feverish visions and in an uproar. Our family is like that. If you show that you are sick or injured, you may get discarded by the Head. Jacob had to pretend to conduct himself with dignity and be capable of handling things in that office.

. . . . . . .

Besides, you know that there are a lot of secrets in our family, right? There is a small room next to the office that Jacob used. He took care of everything by hiding there like a rat. But you dont know about that space. Because after Jacobs mental illness got better, he filled and blocked the room for his treatment. And without Gaju knowing.

Elisha really didnt know. Her whole body was shaking.

That. . . . . . .

She had no way of knowing. Elisha in her previous life. She started working as Jacobs slave around last year. There was no one to tell her about Jacobs flaws. However, Elisha knew many of Jacobs weaknesses. But she couldnt know what happened way back in the past.

Therefore. I knew it was a lie that you gathered information by peeking into Jacobs office.

Then, why?

Elisha bit her lip.

Why did you sign a contract with me?

Because it was a contract that I could find fault with and break at any time,

Lucerne said warmly.

Its no different from a contract with an exception clause. Besides, I liked the collateral.

. . . . . . .

Do you understand, Elisha? From the day you came into my room in your pajamas. I never trusted you for a single day.

. . . . . . .

I knew the truth. Your fanciful lies were nonsense.