Duke Ashillean’s Contractual Marriage

e decrepit Count Graham said that the money he poured wasn’t worth it when he looked at Louismond.
His three sons blatantly treated him like trash.
The Countess was terrified to be even in the same room as Louismond. 

 

‘Am I just barely living enough to survive?’ 

 

When he was at peace, a revolt broke out in the South.
It was the rebellion of the young Count Luxen, Callena. 

 

The tyrant, Imperial Family, and the nobles of the capital treated that rebellion lightly.
Was it only Callena who raised the flag of rebellion against the tyranny of the tyrant? Before her, a rebellion broke out across the kingdom at the same time as her.
Most of the rebels were suppressed in vain, and the flames didn’t even reach the capital. 

 

The tyrant sent hundreds of cavalry down the south and soon forgot Callena’s name.
He never dreamed that the cavalry he sent would turn to her side without fighting even once, because none of the hundred cavalry knights sent a call to the capital that they had betrayed them. 

 

Callena was different from the other traitors.
She didn’t rush to the capital rashly.
After she had obtained the southern, eastern, and western parts of the kingdom, only then did she advance to the capital.
The capital collapsed in vain.
Dressed up as a servant, the tyrant tried to flee  but he was caught and was brutally killed. 

 

The Queen and the First Prince were dragged along like dogs.
All members of the Imperial Family and the tyrant’s illegitimate son, were pushed into the largest hall of the Imperial Palace.
So did Louismond, who was drunk and crawled under a Viscount’s skirt. 

 

Callena, the leader of the rebellion, inclined on the throne on the podium.
Next to her was a knight with hair burning like flames standing as her escort.
Under the pedestal was Cadric, Marquis Feltharg, and Rudante, the best knight of the kingdom.
Those who had even a little drop of the Ainnus Imperial blood in their bodies were terrified and begged for their lives. 

 

Louismond fell behind and couldn’t even scream for his life.
His throat was choked and he couldn’t make any sound.
It was hard to even breathe.
He just trembled there and looked towards the podium.
The two men standing under the podium swung their swords.
Blood and screams echoed with each swing. 

 

Aaaack!

 

Save me – urgh!

 

I-I hate you!

 

Louismond was only guilty of sitting at the back  and could only die after watching everyone die. 

 

“Uuh, you filthy bastard.”

 

Rudante frowned and swung the sword in front of him.

 

‘What am I?’

 

As soon as he thought, ‘Was it filthy for me to struggle to survive?’ his throat felt empty – no, something popped his throat.

 

“Keok.”

 

Louismond grabbed his neck  and collapsed. Thud, his blood-stained eyes trembled. 

 

Rudante turned around after wiping the blood off his sword, looking down at him through his blurred vision. Tsk, he saw Cadric click his tongue.
Finally, the woman with red hair on the podium looked down at him with expressionless eyes.
She was the only one who didn’t frown upon Louismond from the time he was brought here until he was cut by the sword. 

 

‘… I don’t want to die.
Like this… To die in vain like this, I, I….’

 

Louismond reached out towards her.

 

And,

 

Silence.

 

Louismond died.
No, he should have died.
But when he opened his eyes, why was he back to when he was 15 years old? Even more so, before his coming-of-age ceremony, in Count Graham’s garden. 

 

He saw himself being invited to the tea party and being suddenly dragged away to the bushes to be undressed by Countess Illencia. 

 

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

 

His clothes were taken off at every passing moment.
Countess Illencia caressed his cheek and  whispered love in a soft voice. 

 

“W-wait a minute, Madam.”

 

At once, Louismond ran away from Countess Illencia.
He himself didn’t know what he had said that she quietly retreated – because he just said whatever came to his mind. 

 

Half-naked, Louismond ran through the large garden, continuously touching his neck.
There were no wounds from a sword nor blood gushing out like a fountain. 

 

“Ahh.”

 

He couldn’t look at the road properly because he was touching his neck and he tripped over a rock and fell.
He rolled over and fell to a nearby pond.
Rubbing his sore knee, he stood up and accidentally saw his own reflection on the surface of the water. 

 

There was the young Louismond.
Not a young man obsessed with alcohol and pleasure, but a terrified teenage boy who  barely escaped from  a situation of nearly being raped. 

 

‘Why?’

 

He thought about it, squeezing his stupid head that didn’t know how to write.
He pondered and pondered, but of course, he couldn’t find an answer.

 

It was only after a considerable amount of time had passed that he was finally able to come to his senses.

 

‘Anyway, I am alright.
I’m not dead yet.
I was young, and I think I may have returned to the past.’

 

How much time did it take for him to come to such a conclusion?

 

‘What’s the point of thinking why I didn’t die and came back to the past? It already happened.
Let’s just think of how we should live in the future and how to avoid being killed like that.’ 

 

Louismond thought that anyone who has returned to live a second life would do.

 

‘Let’s live quietly this time.
Don’t be noticed by anyone.
Quiet, quiet.
And run away when appropriate – before the revolt broke out!’