We’re in a Contract Marriage, But I’ve Imprinted - Chapter 208

Of course, it was a valid decision due to the contract expiring, but at the time, I had told him I had imprinted on him.

He had misunderstood. A little affection wasn’t enough to think of another way. I had already come too far to turn back, and no small amount of affection could change anything.

The fact that he had imprinted was surprising, but that feeling didn’t last long. There was a small, fleeting sense of pity, but it wasn’t because I felt sorry for Ian. It was more like a sense of camaraderie, as someone who had once imprinted themselves.

“There’s nothing that can change now.”

What I had to focus on right now was Adella’s condition and whether or not I should fix my pheromone gland. It felt like a heavy stone had been placed on my chest. With a heavy heart, I quietly stood up.

I had promised Diers so instead of returning to the tower, I went to the child’s room. I sat beside the sleeping child, breathing softly, careful not to wake him.

“…Dia.”

I whispered the name of the child in a small voice, making sure he didn’t wake.

“Dia.”

I repeated the name but had no intention of waking them. I was lost in thought.

I wouldn’t be able to see Diers again. I had said that if I stood alongside him, it would mark a new beginning for me as well, but even now, I wasn’t confident that I had made any decisions.

“Mom is sorry, Mom…”

I gently touched the sleeping child’s face before traveling back with a teleportation spell. When I returned to the tower, Lucia, Pedro, and Adella greeted me.

“I’m back.”

“Mam, ma.”

Adela mumbled and reached her arms out. Lucia handed the child to me.

“Our Della is starting to talk quickly.”

“Della isn’t your average child. She’s going to be very smart.”

“Thank you for taking care of her.”

“Of course, it’s only natural. By the way, didn’t she come with you?”

I had almost forgotten that I had gone to meet Lorena. I quickly relayed the message.

And it was just another day, repeating as usual. Even as I went about my time, I felt like there was a small stone rolling deep within my chest. A sharp, prickling stone that left its presence known. I tried to ignore it.

* * *

Ian was slowly, but steadily recovering. During this time, County Rosewood had sent an official complaint, and he had gathered information on the Omegas’ whereabouts and their personal details.

“Duke.”

“Yes.”

“You shouldn’t be working just yet.”

“Whoo, sitting on the bed to work isn’t that bad. It’s not like I’m overexerting myself.”

“The burns are one thing, but it’s the leg that’s most concerning. Even if you’re sitting on the bed, you could still strain your leg.”

“You may not know this, but I recover relatively quickly.”

“I know that, which is exactly why I’m worried.”

“Why’s that?”

“It’s been a month already. The Duke would have nearly recovered and been walking around by now. But look at your leg.”

“….”

Ian absently stared at his twisted leg, not responding.

“Medical treatments have reached their limit. Ha, could you at least tell me why you refuse healing magic?”

“….”

Ian remained silent and turned his head away. He couldn’t bring himself to answer the doctor. How could he possibly explain that he was actually grateful for the lingering effects, considering the pain that Melissa had gone through?

He wanted to feel as much pain as Melissa had, how she had damaged her pheromone gland and lost her sense of smell. But it didn’t seem to be happening, which left him dissatisfied.

Ian’s thoughts drifted to Melissa, who hadn’t visited him since the incident. That was what weighed on his mind more than his physical condition.

“Has Melissa not come to see me since then?”

“Duke…”

“Not even to Dia? Are you sure?”

“…As far as I’ve heard, she hasn’t.”

“I see…”

Ian sighed heavily, putting the papers he was holding down on the side table and lying back.

“Leave.”

“Duke…”

“I said leave!”

“…I understand. Please rest.”

Ian felt uneasy. Melissa, who had promised him a chance, had gotten angry when she saw his condition.

“Did I misinterpret things? Isn’t this what she really wanted?”

He thought that if he suffered as much as she did, she would naturally appreciate it. He believed this was the way to be on equal footing with her.

“…If this approach doesn’t work, then what should I do?”

The overwhelming sense of uncertainty made everything feel dark. He tried to ignore the unease, but the fear of never seeing her again consumed him. He still hadn’t figured out how to reach the tower. What would he do if she never came back?

He couldn’t understand what was right or wrong anymore. Curling up under the blanket, he shivered, feeling an intense cold. His body trembled uncontrollably, overwhelmed by a freezing sensation that he couldn’t escape.

* * *

A month passed, and Ian’s leg had not returned to its original state. He walked with a pronounced limp, and the doctor couldn’t hide his frustration, though he had no choice but to watch.

Ian was diligently carrying out the tasks ordered by the Emperor while also looking for a wizard. However, finding a wizard capable of teleportation or levitation for long periods was not easy.

“The wizards from the Magic Tower are famous for a reason.”

“I learned that firsthand during this search. Teleportation isn’t an easy spell.”

The assistant nodded to Ian’s words.

“How’s the list of Omegas coming along?”

“We’ve received applications from all over the Empire, but we’ve only managed to get about 20 names so far.”

“Hmm…”

“There are even some who haven’t registered their births, so creating the list is more difficult than expected.”

He glanced at Ian’s face. Once someone feared him due to his mania, but now he had a calm expression. Still, the burn marks on his face were strange.

Even more unsettling was the hand holding the pen, disfigured by burns. It made anyone who looked at it feel a chill down their spine. A scar from fire was never easy to look at.