The Predator’s Contract Partner

Elisha had been imprisoned in her previous life. The imperial detention center had also been likewise damp and dismal. Day and night, it was a place where you could hear rats roaming around, and it was dark and sometimes the sound of people dying.

‘It’s no different than a temple prison.’

The only difference was that it had a much smaller number of prisoners.

“I couldn’t tell you earlier, but I had also forgotten that Rosaria-nim was my godmother. Excellent work, Elisha.”

She nodded, she knew because she had been next to Rosaria until she was fourteen. She had told him to mention their familial ties to persuade Gaju.

As she walked through the dark dungeon, she asked him:

“Lucerne, are you really going to let Merha go in four years?”

“Of course,”

affirmed Lucerne in an oddly gentle and sweet tone.

“—That is if he is still alive by then.”

“… … .”

Elisha sealed her lips.

“There are a lot of accidents in prison. But I want to take good care of him for four years.”

“Why?”

“I grew up under Uncle Merha for four years. I also had a lot of accidents during that duration.”

The jailer stood in front of them and greeted them politely. While they were going through the procedures, she inquired further.

“Like what, for example?”

Lucerne lip became stiff for a moment. She glanced at him.

“A lot of things happened.”

Elisha imagined the abuse or starvation that Lucerne must have experienced as a child.

“The thing I hated the most was, well…. There were many children the same age as me in the temple. My uncle didn’t allow any of them to talk to me, so I didn’t speak for months. And that year I suffered from aphasia.”

With a clear image of such anguish as a small child, an irrational, overwhelming rage against Merha flared up in Elisha’s heart. In that instance she felt that this prison was much too good for him.

“He must be punished,”

she whispered. Lucerne did not answer.

Just before arriving in prison, he stopped Elisha. She blinked at Nora who followed her like a shadow.

“Are you satisfied with watching today?”

“… … .”

“Or do you want to express your anger by swearing at Merha’s face?”

“No. For today, I am content with this much.”

“You’ve judged well.”

He smiled in joy. Elisha stood still and watched from afar as Lucerne approached the prison cells.

“High General! High General. Help me—please save me! I spent all my fortune on campaigning. Please get me out of here. I am the only candidate for Pope!”

Someone locked up in the prison cell next to Merha’s enclosure came out. It was Gunner, who aged and looked years older within a few days. Lucerne looked at him as if he were scum.

“Pay for your sins,”

Lucerne declared and ignored him. Upon losing his last hope, Gunner sank down. He stood in front of Merha’s prison. From Elisha’s angle, the inside of the prison cell could not be seen.

Soon, someone approached and grabbed the iron rod with his hand.

“You bastard Lucerne! How dare you, the little boy babbling under me stab me in the back?”

“You’re still a man who stimulates a sense of competition,”

muttered Lucerne.

“What— what?”

“Gunner looks like he’s suffering, but you are so healthy. How you will be able to respond resolutely to hardships in the future. I can’t help but look forward to it.”

“You— you! My son will not leave you alone! Do you think you will be able to become the Head if you do this?”

“I think it would be more reasonable to worry about your freedom, let alone the Duke’s succession.”

“… … .”

“And yet you display such an idoitic thought process again.”

Lucerne leaned into the iron cage.

“Uncle, I can’t forget the four years you raised me.”

“… … .”

“I will repay you for the kindness you showed when raising me by taking good care of you in prison.”

Merha’s appearance was also a big draw for Elisha, but the sight of Lucerne whispering like a devil was so eerie and beautiful that at that moment, she shuddered. She vowed to herself that she should never turn Lucerne into an enemy.

“Do you think the Lord will just wait and watch?”

“I’ve already talked to the Lord.”

“You… … . You… … !”

Merha’s eyes quaked.

“You should have known this would happen,”

Lucerne whispered.

“Did I look so stupid like I had really forgotten everything?”

“… … .”

“Marco is a fool who can’t do anything without his father, so I think the hierarchy of the Cartier family will become clearer from now on.”

“You will never be the Duke. Do not try, Lucerne.”

“You seemed to be concerned about everything useless. Regardless of whether I become the Head or not, I have no difficulty in ruining Marco and Uncle’s life.”

Merha bit his tongue.

“Besides, I was lucky enough to find a good wife, and so life is only improving. Life is so entertaining now.”

Lucerne tenderly tapped the bar Merha’s face was pressed against.

“Take care, Uncle. I hope you’ll be healthy for a very long time. That’s what makes the pain worthwhile.”

Lucerne turned his head. Then Merha found Elisha. He recalled Arien’s warnings that Lucerne’s recent change was because of his new wife.

“Damn you bitch! Lowly thing! You seduced Lucerne with Rosaria… … . Argh— Argh!”

Lucerne snapped his fingers as if he didn’t want to hear more. A shadow appeared and dug into his mouth. Merha grabbed himself by the neck and fell to the floor, where he rolled around. But he didn’t make a single sound as foamy bubbles of spit came out of his mouth.

“You really are out of your mind. Marco resembles uncle and was also scolded for blaspheming my wife the same way.”

Elisha held her breath and took in his tall figure. A sense of exhilaration, fear, and chills—various emotions enveloped her. Lucerne held out his hand.

“Let’s go, Elisha.”

“… … .”

“So you can play like this with the Cartiers you hate again, how about it?”

It was as if he was seducing her with sweet nothings. Elisha’s mouth went dry as she took his hand. One of the people of the family who trampled on her in her previous life. The axis was Merha. Today, Elisha saw a steadfast pillar crumbling.

In other words, it was hope.

‘Maybe you can really get out of the clutches of this family, if you follow Lucerne like this… … .’

Elisha touched the back of her neck without realizing it.

And she left the dungeon without looking back.

The warm sunlight hit her face. She had never felt so warm in the sunlight in her previous life.

Elisha was convinced: If there was a devil in the world, he’d have the bewitching face of an angel. Just like Lucerne.

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