The Predator’s Contract Partner

Carola stared blankly at Elisha. Soon, her face turned red, probably because she thought she was making fun of her.

“Do you think Carola is going to give up here? You and Carola are on different levels. Know, huh? You will be cursed. Bitch. As expected, the fortune telling was correct. You’re taking away all of Carola’s men. What the fortune teller said, ‘Carola will never be happy if you live.'”

“Oh, my. Really? So surprising and new.”

Elisha pulled away as if she had lost interest.

“Carola, quickly accept your reality. This is your life right now.”

Elisha tapped on the metal bars near her face with the toe of her shoe.

“Now I have to bend down like this to see you. That’s our relationship, and that’s your level.”

“… … .”

“It’s too bad. You have to breathe the air down there for the rest of your life,”

she coldly smiled.

“And you’ll never be able to touch a man like Lucerne for the rest of your life.”

“You— this… … .”

“Congratulations, you ruined your life. You will continue to crawl on that floor and live hard,”

Elisha decreed. She slowly turned her back and left the place.

“I can never forgive you. I can’t forgive… … .”

Carola muttered behind her back. Tears were flowing down from her eyes.

She fell to the floor and cried. She couldn’t do anything as the hateful opponent took everything from her.

The sensation of having nowhere to go caused a small explosion in her heart. She experienced a kind of delirium.

***

Old trees surrounded the road from the Duke’s principal residence to the abandoned temple. It was always a damp, dark, and gloomy avenue with very few people coming and going.

Elisha walked along there with Nora in front.

“What’s wrong, Nora?”

“I was wondering what you said to the guards near the abandoned temple earlier.”

“I told you to be nice to Carola. Looking at her eyes, I think she’s lost her mind. It’s pitiful.”

Nora was not inherently suspicious of people. Even though Elisha’s words were a little strange to her, she just accepted them and nodded.

“Madam, you are so kind.”

“Is that so?”

It was unexpected.

“With what I did that just now?”

“I heard that Jacob once plunged the lady’s life into an abyss. Moreover, I heard that Carola relentlessly harassed Madam when you were at the Duke’s house. Ma’am, your revenge is justified.”

Elisha wanted to smile. After all, Nora was a good person.

“If you wish, Madam, I will deal with that woman. The General will also approve.”

“… … You don’t have to. And if you kill someone from the Cartier family, you have to do it with the help of the Cartier family,”

Elisha noted lazily. She stopped in her tracks. Hydrangeas were in full bloom.

“The flowers are very pretty.”

Elisha seemed to have suddenly remembered something and picked a hydrangea.

“Nora, you’re going out soon, right? This means good luck*.” [*t1v: In Korean culture, hydrangeas are associated with perseverance and resilience; in Japan, remorse; whereas in the West, they mean rejection and vanity. Take that as you will.]

Elisha remembered what happened during the hunting festival. When a lady gave flowers to the knights under her command, it meant praying for the knights’ safety and performance. Nora’s eyes widened as she received the flowers.

“Did you remember?”

“Yes. I heard you were going on a mission to the border. Fall is the time when monsters are born. At times like this, witchbeasts run rampant.”

Nora treasured her flowers like treasures.

“Last time… … .”

“Yes?”

“Last time, you only gave flowers to Lapis. Everyone… … was jealous.”

“Did I?”

Elisha recalled Lapis receiving a hydrangea as a representative at the last hunting festival.

“Lapis dried the flowers well and put them on the shelf. Lazuli helped preserve it well.”

Nora hesitated for a moment, and then she added, a little embarrassed.

“It was my first time coveting something that belonged to someone else.”

“It’s nothing, Flowers aren’t a very good gift. They wither in one day. But I’ll give Nora flowers any time she wants.”

“… … yes.”

Nora nodded. Then, as if it occurred to her, she added:

“But the hydrangeas the General has have not withered. That’s why Lapis was so jealous.”

“… … .”

It took Elisha a moment to interpret Nora’s words. It was because there were so many parts that she couldn’t understand.

‘Lucerne has hydrangeas?’

During the hunting festival, Elisha also gave flowers to Lucerne. At his mischievous request, she even kissed them.

‘Nonsense.’

Elisha tried to remain calm. Her brows furrowed slightly.

“Lucerne’s hydrangeas? He’s not the type of person to keep trivial things. Besides, what do you mean the flowers haven’t withered?”

“Ian said he saw flowers in the High General’s drawer. They say the royal family’s hydrangeas have a unique appearance.”

Nora answered casually.

“And the guardian deity of the General…. Shadows love to devour flowers.”

“… … His shadow?”

It seemed she couldn’t comprehend English anymore.

“You didn’t know? If a shadow swallows a flower and then spits it out, the flower will not wither. It is said that the flowers can be preserved like fresh flowers for several years. The General took measures to prevent the flowers from withering.”

Nonsense.

Elisha didn’t want to believe what Nora said—It is not possible. Nora continued talking, not noticing her expression.

“So, Lapis asked the general for a favor so his flowers wouldn’t wither.”

-He said he refused outright.

Nora said. Elisha thought they were doing something stupid.

But she entered Lucerne’s room as if possessed. Because of Lucerne’s fall campaign schedule, they had to leave for the capital soon. She made up an excuse that she was preparing to pack his luggage in advance, but she really wanted to make sure there were flowers.

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