We’re in a Contract Marriage, But I’ve Imprinted - Chapter 181

The sudden noise caused all the wizards in the workshop to rush outside. As soon as they realized there was an intruder, they prepared to attack, but the Deputy Tower master, Sara, stopped them.

“What’s going on? Who is it?”

“Oh my, can’t you tell just by looking?”

“What? Where?”

The wizards exchanged glances, recognizing Ian. Sara interjected.

“So, let Melissa handle it.”

“That’s right. This is something the person involved should resolve.”

“Oh, come on! Wizards! We need to get rid of that guy giving off Alpha pheromones! Ugh, the disgusting smell! Adella, don’t worry, Uncle will protect you.”

Pedro, tightly holding Adella, fidgeted while the other Omega wizards laughed and responded.

“Yes, as long as Pedro is here, there’s no need for any other Alphas in the tower.”

“We’ll just wait and see how it goes before we kick him out.”

“Should we?”

Unlike the cheerful banter among the wizards, Melissa and Ian were busy in a fierce standoff. Melissa drew multiple layers of magic circles, attempting to teleport Ian away, but he shattered them each time.

With each disruption, the tower shook, but the wizards inside remained unfazed. They knew that once the Tower Master returned, everything would be resolved.

Melissa was furious at Ian for daring to infuse his pheromones onto her child. Although she could no longer sense his pheromones, the sudden outburst of her previously calm child made it clear that something was amiss.

Annoyed by Ian’s continual disruptions of her magic circles, she set a triple-layered trap and lured him in with an attack spell. She needed to get rid of him before he recognized Adella’s presence.

Meanwhile, Ian couldn’t take his eyes off Melissa as she wielded her magic effortlessly. Not knowing she had magical talent filled him with confusion, yet he felt a swell of pride.

However, thinking this was a futile fight, he quickly dodged the newly formed magic circle and shouted.

“Mel, please stop for a moment!”

In response, he was met with an attack filled with her refusal. Dodging the rapidly flying ice arrows, he found himself ensnared by ice that wrapped around his ankles as he landed.

When he was fully immobilized, he belatedly grasped the situation, but it was too late. Another magic circle began to glow purple beneath him. Believing it to be the same magic circle that Pedro had used to come here, he raised his sword, determined to break free from the ice binding his ankles.

But a fierce voice reached his ears.

“Why isn’t the tower moving and just staying still?!”

After her visit to the palace Lucia had just stopped by the merchant who gave them the communication. She believed in paying back favors promptly.

After handing the merchant a pouch of gold and advising him to relocate his office in case something like this happened again, Lucia noticed that the tower had stopped moving in the sky.

Without needing to find out why, she spotted Melissa and Ian in a standoff and immediately shouted at them.

“What is going on right now? How dare you fight inside the tower? Are you out of your mind?”

“Tower Master, I permitted it.”

Sara intervened and said.

“Is that something you should say as the Deputy Tower Master?”

“But this was something that had to happen.”

“…Well, Melissa is not to blame. The problem lies with that Alpha who barged in uninvited.”

With an irritated gesture, she brushed away her hair and noticed the magic circle forming beneath Ian’s feet. She then glanced at Melissa.

“What are you doing? Activate the magic circle.”

“Yes, I will.”

At Lucia’s sharp command, Melissa activated the magic circle, and a bright light emanated from it. Realizing he couldn’t back down now, Ian broke through the ice and rolled aside to avoid the magic circle.

However, in his haste, he accidentally slashed his own ankle with his sword, leaving him unable to move as he clutched the bleeding wound.

“Huh, how did he get so fast?”

Not just Lucia but all the wizards present looked at Ian with a mix of surprise and curiosity.

Ian looked up at the woman known as the Tower Master. He recognized her as the Omega who had stayed in the Emperor’s palace a long time ago.

“…Tower Master.”

He had also learned from Sara and Lucia’s conversation that she was indeed the Tower Master. While it was surprising that Pedro wasn’t the Tower Master, it didn’t matter to him at that moment.

“Please, grant me a moment to stay.”

Lucia couldn’t help but admire Ian, who was staring directly at her. He had recognized the real Tower Master in such a short time, contrasting sharply with Adrian, who had been foolish until the end.

Of course, Sara had called her Tower Master out loud, so if anyone had been listening, they would have quickly figured it out. However, in a situation where one was at a disadvantage, it wasn’t easy to catch every detail.

Furthermore, they hadn’t spoken that loudly.

While she knew that those trained with swords were more sensitive to mana than ordinary people, they were distinctly different from the knights she had seen in the palace. Therefore, the answer must be clear.

“Hm, are you a Sword Master?”

“That’s not what’s important! Because of that jerk, I’m feeling sick, and our Adella is in distress!”

“What?”

“Do you know what pheromones he’s smeared all over her? That guy’s pheromones are still resonating in our dear Adella’s body!”

Pedro diligently reported Ian’s misdeeds, hoping that Lucia would allow it. How dare he mark their precious Adella right from the beginning! Of course, even if his intention was to reassure her with the release of pheromones, he couldn’t understand Ian’s actions.

Why is he causing such a commotion now? Oh, they said he had imprinted on her, didn’t he?

Pedro observed Melissa’s expression. While it appeared mostly unchanged and indifferent, there was a subtle hint of anger in her demeanor.

One couldn’t gauge emotions solely by facial expressions, but if she had known about Ian’s imprint, she likely wouldn’t be making such a face.