The Predator’s Contract Partner

Elisha had vaguely dreamed of getting married when she was a child living in a monastery. A nice groom, a white wedding dress, but the imagination was always vague.

‘Who would take me? Marriage is all about identity trading and dowry.’

A merchant or knight who wanted to get a wife of noble status was the most she could imagine, and that was only possible if she was lucky. So the imaginary man was always plain and simple.

‘But my marriage partner is Lucerne de Kayas.’

She never thought she’d end up in a wedding hall with him, a war hero loved by imperialists, an unlucky illegitimate child, a man who will shape the times.

She was going to walk down the wedding aisle with him.

It was something she couldn’t imagine even in her wildest dreams.

***

Elisha looked in the mirror and touched her cheek out of habit. There were no burn scars.

“What are you looking at?”

It was quiet beyond the room, Ian went out. Suddenly Lucerne was looking at her.

“Because…. My face is unfamiliar.”

Lucerne sat on the chair. And beckoned her,

“Come here.”

As Elisha approached, he put her on his lap.

Why? Somehow, when he touched her, the nerves all over her body were on edge. Elisha shrugged her shoulders.

“I don’t have a dress that I won’t need your help to tie up today.”

“I know,”

Lucerne acknowledged briefly.

“Marriage is when I can touch you without making excuses like that.”

Elisha’s cheeks turned red. Lucerne said, stroking Elisha’s neck lightly.

“I can’t tell if I’m going to a wedding or a funeral.”

“There’s someone who has murderous intent, so your speculation isn’t wrong. Someone who ruined my life will attend the wedding,”

Elisha spoke calmly. This would be her first time seeing Jacob after coming back in time. After suddenly returning, she remembered seeing Carola while doing laundry.

‘I was so nervous back then that my hatred of Carola was on the back burner.’

Emotions swelled up for a moment. The feelings for Jacob and Carola, which had been full of extreme horror in her previous life, were now about to be revived with hatred.

“If you really want to kill Jacob one day, I’ll be your man,”

Lucerne said, wrapping his arms around Elisha.

“At least until the divorce.”

Elisha hesitated and opened her mouth.

“Thank you for saving me. And I can act calmly in front of Jacob. I’ll do my best from now on. If you’d like, I’ll be more obedient……”

Elisha said calmly.

“You don’t have to.”

Lucerne grazed the spot behind Elisha’s neck and twirled his finger around her seal.

“When you enter the wedding hall, you don’t have to say anything but the bride’s oath.”

“I understand.”

“But if you want to.”

Lucerne whispered as he buried his lips on Elisha’s nape and whispered.

“Behave like my wife.”

His tone was as if he was set forth a test.

“……Alright.”

Lucerne’s hand went down lightly. Elisha clutched her thighs together.

“It’s annoying. I’ll engrave a new one for you.”

Lucerne tapped on Elisha’s neck it was where Jacob’s people first carved the pattern.

“Ah!”

She was bitten so hard that she screamed. Feeling strange, Elisha closed her eyes tightly. She felt like she was going to bleed. The pain became a peculiar sensation and dug down into her spine.

“The mark is imprinted. Your skin is so weak that it leaves a clear mark, it’s round, and it’s swollen up beautifully.”

“…… don’t explain it…. like that.”

Lucerne probed over the pattern.

“But I still like this colour better.”

Elisha turned her head and looked into Lucerne’s eyes. It was better being Lucerne’s contract bride than Jacob’s slave.

“Did it hurt?”

“……yes.”

“Then focus on the pain and be patient. It’ll be over soon.”

It was a strangely soothing remark. Elisha thought it was unexpected.

“I have a favor to ask of you.”

“Tell me.”

“I don’t want to spend the first night in this mansion. Is it okay to go somewhere else?”

“Alright, we will leave right after the wedding.”

Elisha nodded. Suddenly, fear rose from her stomach.

It was hard to tell whether it was because of her unfathomable fate, which was so different from her previous life, or because of the vague tension over her first night.

***

It’s a small wedding. The only guests were the direct descendants of the Duke. In front of the wedding hall, Lucerne’s knights lined up and waited, including Ian, who helped with Elisha’s makeup until the last minute. Some knights looked relatively young.

‘Knights of the Black Lion.’

The most elite of the Black Lion Knights were called Sid. They were all famous knights, Sid.

The sun shined on their fine armor and capes. When they saw Lucerne and Elisha, they simultaneously paid tribute with a fist to their hearts. No one was wearing black or a sword.

‘It’s the Head.’

The current Duke and Lucerne’s grandfather looked suspicious. It was so pleasant to see Lucerne’s knights allowed to line up in front of the wedding hall but did not allow anyone to hold a sword.

‘He’s like an old snake…..everyone says the same thing about the Head.’

Then someone shouted from inside the building.

Trigger warning: mentions of abuse, kidnapping

“Groom and bride, step before the sacred altar,” said the priest officiating the wedding. He was a priest who lived in the Cartier family residence and prayed for the family.

The bride and groom simultaneously entered. Elisha walked in with a bouquet of Lily of the valley while holding Lucerne’s hand.

‘It’s dazzling.’

It was her first thought when she entered the temple.

The wedding venue was very fancy. A chandelier decorated with gold was hanging from the ceiling, and the venue was decorated with seasonal flowers.

The carpet on the floor was red. It was a carpet with complicated patterns embroidered with silver thread and sprinkled with diamond powder.

‘This is a “simple” wedding.’

The altar, the place for officiating, was adorned with precious sacred objects.

‘That’s an extraordinary fortune.’

This room alone could easily be comparable to the treasury of a small kingdom.

On the other hand, Elisha’s outfit was very simple and elegant; a white, ankle-length silk dress with a lace hairband on her hair.

Upon entering the wedding hall, she saw the Cartier family seating. There were the Head and Jacob and the Head’s second grandson, Marco. The officiating priest was wiping the sweat off his forehead as if he were nervous to perform in front of the Cartier family.

‘I know you all, but…’

Previously, she crawled in front of them as a servant that was more humble than anyone else.

That she would be among them as a wife of one of the wives of their own flesh and blood……. Elisha could never have imagined it.

‘Jacob, Carola.’

In particular, when she saw Carola and Jacob sitting side by side, who had cut and destroyed Elisha’s past life, her hands trembled.

‘Mad bitch, you need to be beaten to wake up, right?’

‘Carola is sad. We take good care of you, and you always look at us with irreverent eyes. Don’t you know your manners?’

She recalled how those demons hurt her, and their words flooded her mind. Suddenly, her hands and feet got cold. Elisha almost stumbled over her weak legs.

Lucerne’s hand holding Elisha’s hand grew stronger. At least, she was not standing alone in front of them.

“Relax, walk,”

Lucerne whispered.

“This is my inscription.”

Lucerne whispered in Elisha’s ear. His long fingers caressed the teeth marks he made on the pattern behind Elisha’s neck.

“Because you are not his, get up. You are mine.”

Strangely, Elisha felt her mind clear. It looked like Lucerne was whispering to himself.

The Head peered heavily at Elisha. When she spotted his glare, it made her flinch. His presence alone made people get chills and goosebumps. He was an old man who was both dangerous and frightening.

‘Still… he’s got a strong aura about him.’

He had a large body that made one forget he was a sick old man. His chin was proud and his mouth stubborn. Looking at it now, Lucerne seemed to resemble the Gaju (Head) the most among his grandchildren.

(PR: here “mouth stubborn” means his words were always precise, never bent down for the sake of others especially his family, in short he is a blunt person who is very stubborn)

Gaju was looking at Elisha with these eyes that said,

‘What the hell is this thing Lucerne bought at an absurd price of 30,000 gold coins.’

The look made Elisha’s head cool again.

‘I have to be impressive.’

If she wallowed in her trauma and made a mistake today, Lucerne would become a fool who spent 30,000 gold coins for a stupid woman. By the Cartier family standards, a felony.

***

Finally, Elisha arrived in front of the priest.

“I will pray before the Lord.”

It was a solemn wedding without congratulations or congratulatory songs from family and friends—of course. When the priest held their two hands and prayed for about 10 minutes, the wedding would be over. In the Empire, only priests were entitled to approve marriages.

It was not long before a ring was on Elisha’s finger.

She had never seen such a huge black diamond ring before. It was hefty enough to make her hand heavier. Elisha looked at the ring and hid her hand. It was decided on by Lucerne.

***

The event immediately led to the reception. Elisha changed her dress during a short break.

This time, it was a scarlet dress with a mermaid-like line that revealed her body’s curves. Wearing a gorgeous and glamorous dress, Elisha’s appearance looked more brilliant and more striking than before. The family glanced at Elisha.

‘She’s a beauty. Lucerne likes that kind of girl,’

Their eyes seem to say.

***