The Emerald Bishop Chapter 6
Yet somehow the words pierced straight to her heart, gnawing at her insides and swelling with a strange pressure.
Want to do what? Well, what I want to achieve... that's obviously...
Oh dear, she had almost been ready to take it at face value.
Despite the mismatch with the context, she stubbornly drew her jaw tight and lifted her eyes in open suspicion.
Looking at him was somehow blinding, an appearance that couldn't be fully absorbed in one glance.
They had never faced each other so closely for such a long time.
Yet they were talking marriage!
Unusually, the viscount's short back hair contrasted with a long forelock that slightly covered his thick eyebrows, giving him a touch of humanity.
Still, it felt uneasy.
Why was he so calm? If she exaggerated, he almost seemed to be enjoying it.
It was strange.
If Ali Baba was needed, wouldn't it be easier to speak with the betrothed princess Theophany rather than him? Why leave the easy path and choose the difficult one?
The feeling that he was gently luring her into a trap refused to fade.
Was the agreement with Princess Theophany already in place? No, even more so.
Doesn't he know that I was kidnapped by the Bunker Breeder? Does Duke Gerard really keep that fact hidden from his grandson?
If he knew, even in a contract there would be no way he would propose marriage to her. Should she confront him? From the beginning to the end—who knows, why did the incident not get reported?
Thinking this far, Kayla suddenly took a big gulp of the slightly warm tea, wetting her rough throat. She then lifted the bottle and poured a steady stream into the empty cup.
Far from trying to stop her, Niguel raised his thick eyebrows and watched with genuine interest.
She drained it in one breath and nearly choked. The alcohol content was immense. Drinking such strong liquor like water.
The pain of her scorched esophagus cleared her mind.
Who is worrying about whom now.
The man in front of her was not just any lord; he was the ruler of Sutherhall City. Without that level of information power, he wouldn't have made such a preposterous choice.
Even if, at the moment the criminal might have seen her, it was not the time to discuss calmly. The burning foot in the fire was hers, and she had no antidote like others.
The Bunker Breeder was still at large, hiding in silence.
Living this way for a lifetime, evading the eyes of other criminals, the thought alone made her dizzy.
She fixed her wavering gaze and waited for his answer.
“What were you planning to do during that period?”
“Catch them. The criminal.”
“What if I don't catch the criminal within a year?”
It was a mere moment, yet his eyes flashed like a blade.
“I will catch them. For sure.”
His tone was casual, yet the trust flowed through her.
Of course. There was no doubt about that. She trusted him completely. And for her own sake, it had to be that way.
“On the contrary, what if it's caught sooner than expected? Will we divorce immediately?”
The tip of his eyebrow twitched with dissatisfaction.
“The period is not a choice; it is mandatory.”
Why? flashed through her mind, but she quickly agreed, remembering that among nobles marriage periods were also tied to honor and dignity.
Now, the final hurdle remained.
Although confirmation was necessary to avoid misunderstandings between them, the words alone caused her face to flush thanks to the high-proof alcohol.
“Your Highness and I are... that is to say... a pretense...”
He frowned as if he had heard something dirty.
“Do you mean a marital relationship?”
Ah, not quite there, but since they had reached this point, hearing a clear confirmation wasn't entirely bad.
Internally embarrassed, she nodded stiffly without showing it, waiting for the expected and very obvious answer.
Yet while his ocean-blue eyes, brimming with light, slowly deepened into an abyss, he remained silent.
What is this? Why is he like this?
His gaze was dark, as if looking at something else while staring at her with half-closed eyes, tracing outlines with a slimy sensation.
The longer the silence stretched, the more her shoulders crept backward.
Uneasy Kayla wrapped the paper knife again in the cloth and slipped it into her bag, keeping an eye on him warily.
Was it just her imagination, or did a hint of regret seem to cross his gaze?
That thought made her jolt with sudden anxiety. What if it was all imaginary? Reality hit her.
Just as she hurried to correct the purpose of the question.
“By the way, if you entered my room with a perfect face the next day and claimed you didn't remember anything, what would you do then?”
Her tilted head snapped upright.
If the claim of attacking her with a knife last night was true, honestly there was no way he could deny it. His mother hadn't either, had she? She always answered when asked.
“I have something to think about.”
Forcing out even nonexistent thoughts made her voice solemn.
The sudden reversal of subject matter was uncomfortable, but Kayla didn't want to miss this chance.
“So your answer is...”
Her voice, which had been oscillating like someone with mood swings, shone with newfound resolve for the first time.
“Yes. I will. A one-year marriage.”
His eyebrow twitched, as if surprised by the unexpected reply.
“Why? Didn't you say earlier you wanted it quick with His Highness?”
“That's because you were exposed... Still, I must be careful.”
“The answer will be the same.”
With unyielding determination, the corner of her mouth lifted confidently.
He stared at her quietly for a moment with thoughtful eyes, then stood up and pulled the string.
A short while later, a knock sounded and Peter entered.
“Tell Mat to prepare.”
“I will also bring the pastries for the lady.”
As Peter headed out, the viscount called him back as if remembering something.
“Ah, Kayla will be the mistress of this place within two weeks.”
Two weeks?
While Kayla was startled, Peter only bowed deeper toward her without changing his expression in the slightest.
“I will bring the cookies prepared for the prospective madam.”
Kayla barely managed a shy smile.
After Peter left, Niguel slipped his hands into his trouser pockets and looked at Kayla, who was wearing a bonnet with a somewhat tired face.
“Carlo will visit soon. If you need anything, consult with him.”
The audience was over.
She hurriedly stood up, picked up her bag, and walked toward the door. But she hesitated to turn the handle, then finally couldn't help but look back.
“There is something I am curious about.”
His head, which had been lowered, slowly rose and tilted with a questioning gaze.
“Do you know how I went home?”
He brushed his disheveled forelock with the hand pulled from his pocket.
His lazy eyes casually met hers.
“Mat... ah, the driver. Mat said that. There is only one house nearby with an open front door. He moved you.”
“Ah...”
“So he will take you well. Don't worry about it.”
With those words he took a cigar from the humidor and headed toward the private room.
Kayla, true to her status as a top student from the Academy, curtsied to his back with flawless etiquette.
Somehow, standing there with her shoulders straightened now felt different from when she first entered the study—as if she had stepped into another world.
Her heart pounded with fear and anticipation.
***
“Your Majesty!”
As soon as the door to the study flew open, Theophany rushed in with a pale face.
The king swallowed a sigh and quickly gestured, and the guards, attendants, and maids all left in a rush.
Since receiving the report that the princess had secretly taken breakfast with Niguel, she had been persistently requesting an audience.
Upon hearing the court's minister's report, King Hasper let out a long sigh.
“Is that true?”
Theophany, who questioned without any courtesy, looked displeasing to the king.
“What?”
The arrogance and rudeness that occasionally appeared toward his only child, whom he would not harm even if he put it in his eyes, he had lightly dismissed. However, perhaps because he had just finished the bitter meeting with Niguel today, everything about his daughter seemed troublesome and insufficient.
Feeling as if it was all his fault, the king felt burdened as a father.
“Divorce? How is that possible? After hearing that, you just sent her away?”